


The Masked Dragon

by Noctem31



Series: Scorched Graveyard [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Dark Harry, Dark Harry Potter, Dark Magic, Eye Color, F/M, Gryffindor & Slytherin Inter-House Friendships, M/M, Magically Powerful Harry Potter, Moral Ambiguity, No character bashing, Original Character(s), Powerful Harry, Slytherin Harry Potter, Slytherin Pride, Smart Harry, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:26:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25276879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Noctem31/pseuds/Noctem31
Summary: In the magical world, your eye color is everything. It determines how powerful you are, and it determines what type of magic you have.Harry Potter comes from a long line of light witches and wizards. Everyone expects Harry to follow in his family's footsteps, but when his parents find out he is actually a dark wizard, they do the only thing they can to protect him.They send him to live with the Dursleys......Used to be called 'Blackfire'
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom/Luna Lovegood, Pansy Parkinson/Ron Weasley
Series: Scorched Graveyard [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1888969
Comments: 93
Kudos: 550





	1. Elevating

**Author's Note:**

> THIS BOOK USED TO BE CALLED BLACKFIRE, I CHANGED IT RECENTLY. 
> 
> Hey guys! Welcome back for another one! As always, I own nothing in the Harry Potter universe. This is just for fun. 
> 
> This is going to be a very intense series. It will be a bit slow for the first few chapters, but things pick up quickly and only get more intense as time goes on. Most of the series takes place in Harry's later years at Hogwarts, so we will get through his 3rd year by the end of this book. I'm thinking it will be around 27 chapters, but I haven't completely decided yet. 
> 
> I am very excited for this one, I hope you enjoy the ride!

One year. 

That's how long it takes for a newborn witch or wizard's magical core to settle after birth. After one year, their eyes change color depending on if they have dark or light magic. 

All babies are born with grey eyes, a neutral color. After one year their eyes change. They turn dark green for light magic, and brown with flecks of gold for dark magic. 

Harry Potter was born on July 31st 1980 to James and Lily Potter, both of which were light. Lily was the first witch in her family, but James came from a long line of light witches and wizards. Both James and Lily were almost certain their son would follow in their footsteps. 

However, the morning of July 31st 1981 Harry's eyes turned from grey to brown with golden flecks. 

James and Lily wept. 

They loved their son with everything they had, but they were also fighting a war against Harry's people. The Crimson War had been going on for nearly 5 years, and people on both sides resented and mistrusted one another. 

They knew Harry would be in extreme danger if the light side knew what he was. They would see him as a high security risk, especially given James and Lily's positions in Lord Dumbledore's inner circle. 

With no way to hide the truth about Harry, they made a decision. Two weeks later James and Lily said goodbye to their only son, and they left him with Lily's muggle sister. 

Until the war ended, it was the safest place for Harry. They told no one where Harry was, not even their most trusted friends. 

On October 31st 1981, Lord Dumbledore set a trap for Lord Voldemort. 

That night, the Dark Lord Voldemort was captured and locked away in the deepest depths of Crowmark, an underwater prison hidden in the Atlantic Ocean.

Lily and James both died during the mission. 

Harry was orphaned and left to grow up with the Dursleys family. 

* * *

Harry's head hurt. 

He was staring intently at the lock on his bedroom door, concentrating hard on making it turn. 

His cousin, Carter Dursley was standing behind him, anxiously shifting his weight from foot to foot. 

"Did you get it?" Carter whispered quietly. Harry shook his head and continued to concentrate. 

After several minutes he finally heard the telltale click, which indicated he had been successful. 

He turned around to find Carter grinning at him. 

"Come on let's go before they wake up!" 

Harry nodded and stepped back from the door. He rubbed his head absent-mindedly while Carter opened the door as quietly as he possibly could. 

The two of them snuck out of their room and made their way to the kitchen without a sound. After years of practice, they knew which floorboards creaked and which ones didn't. 

Carter opened the fridge and grabbed two carrots and some grapes, while Harry stole a can of peas and a few almonds from the cupboard. 

Carter also filled up their water bottles as quietly as possible, while Harry made his way into the living room. 

Harry got down on his hands and knees next to Uncle Vernon's chair and reached in the darkness underneath. He smiled triumphantly as his hand touched the two-pound coin he noticed fall out of Vernon's pocket earlier that day. He stuffed the coin in his pocket and found Carter waiting for him at the base of the stairs. Together they hurried back to their shared room and closed the door. 

Harry managed to lock the door again, and the two of them sat on Harry's bed to enjoy their feast. 

They usually stole healthier foods like vegetables, because Carter's beloved twin brother Dudley hated anything healthy. It was unlikely Dudley and Petunia would ever notice a few carrots missing. 

Harry and Carter both ate the carrots, grapes, and almonds before drinking from one of the water bottles. 

Carter then stuffed the extra water bottle, the two-pound coin, and the can of peas underneath a loose floorboard they had found a year ago under Harry's bed. 

This was their nightly ritual.

Sometimes they only filled their water bottles so that the Dursleys wouldn't notice anything missing. Sometimes they risked stealing food, since the Dursleys rarely fed them enough. Tonight had been one of those nights. 

After putting the floorboard back in place, Carter climbed into the top bunk. 

He leaned over the side of his bunk, gravity making his blond hair stand up straight. "Goodnight Harry."

"Night," Harry replied with a smirk. 

Carter was technically his cousin, but Carter and Harry always agreed they should have been twins instead of Carter and Dudley. 

Harry and Carter were opposites in terms of appearance. Harry was shorter, with black hair while Carter was tall and blond. The only similarity between them was their eyes. They both had brown eyes with bright flecks of gold. 

That's why the Dursleys hated the two of them, but didn't hate Dudley. Dudley had 'normal' eyes, according to Vernon and Petunia. 

Carter and Harry didn't care though. They had each other, they didn't need the Dursleys. 

* * *

It was just before Christmas when ten year old Harry began to fall ill. 

It all started one day while scrubbing the floor. He started feeling dizzy, so he sat back on his heels. He closed his eyes for a moment, and the feeling gradually faded. 

Carter looked concerned, "Are you okay?" He whispered while glancing towards the living room. 

"Yeah I'm fine," Harry replied before returning to his chores. 

They finished their jobs for the evening and Petunia rewarded them with a slice of bread. Harry ate his quickly before they retreated to their room.

Harry collapsed onto his bed as he heard the lock click shut for the night. Carter leaned over him, looking very worried. "Harry?" 

"I'm fine, I just feel a bit sick."

Carter scrambled underneath the bed and pulled out what was left of their water. He handed it to Harry, who took several small sips. 

"Drink more," Carter encouraged him. 

He shook his head, "We don't have much left."

"I'll get more. I'm able to open the lock on my own now."

Harry sighed in defeat and took a deep gulp from the bottle. He relaxed back onto his bed, feeling worse by the minute. 

The dizziness was still there and it was making him feel a bit nauseous, but now he felt a heavy weight in his bones. He was exhausted. 

He fell into a deep sleep. 

Hours later he woke with the sunrise. He was covered in sweat. Carter was there next to him, looking more worried than ever. 

"Drink," he ordered. 

Harry took another drink of water and realized Carter must have refilled the bottle at some point. 

Carter sighed, "You're sweating, you have a fever."

Harry didn't even have the strength to respond. He was so tired. His muscles hurt. 

Carter swallowed hard, "I think I'm going to get Petunia."

"No," Harry mouthed weakly. 

Before he could protest Carter was banging on their bedroom door and shouting, "Petunia! Vernon! Harry's very sick!"

"Boy you better shut up right this instant!" Vernon grumbled. Harry could hear his uncle's loud footsteps getting closer. He felt a wave of panic, but he was also beginning to feel the strong pull of sleep. 

Harry forced himself to stay awake as Vernon and Petunia barged into their room. Vernon's face was purple from yelling, but Petunia turned white as a ghost when she saw him. 

Harry fell asleep before he heard their response. 

He drifted in and out of consciousness over the next few days. 

He remembered Petunia opening his eye at one point in time, which he found quite odd. 

Another time he briefly opened his eyes and saw that their bedside table had been destroyed. 

One morning he woke up to find Carter feeding him soup. He ate what he could before falling asleep once again. 

After four days Harry woke up.

He laid there for a moment, realizing he felt… different. 

He was still tired, but he also felt strangely energized. He felt strong. He could feel it running through his veins like electricity. 

He slowly sat up in bed, and gasped at what he saw. He realized he hadn't been dreaming, the bedside table had been destroyed. But so had the bedroom door, and their lamp in the corner. 

"Carter?" Harry whispered tentatively. 

He heard a shuffling above him, and Carter appeared next to him a moment later. 

"Harry you're awake -," he paused with wide eyes.

"What is it?" Harry asked carefully. 

"Your eyes…" 

His stomach dropped, "What about them?" 

"They're yellow."

"What?" Harry stood and walked to the bedroom window. He could see his reflection, and he realized Carter was telling the truth. The irises of his eyes were no longer brown and gold. Now, they were bright yellow. 

"What happened to me?" He asked in a panic as he tried to get a better look. "And what happened to our room?" 

Harry turned around and Carter rubbed the back of his neck. "Umm… I don't really know exactly. You were just.. sort of having a fit and then it all just exploded I guess."

"Oh god," Harry whispered, feeling utterly horrified. "Petunia and Vernon?"

"Petunia seemed to know what was going on, but she was furious. So was Vernon. They let me take care of you, but I don't know what they will do now that it's over."

As if on cue, Harry heard Petunia's footsteps climbing the stairs. She appeared in their doorway a moment later. 

Harry just stood there and waited for the axe to fall.

She pinched her lips when she saw him. After a moment she said, "You are both responsible for cleaning up this room. We will be replacing the door, but that is all." 

With that she turned and left them alone. 

Harry didn't know whether to feel relief or to panic. He fully expected Petunia to throw them out into the snow. 

Carter scoffed, "What the hell?" 

Harry nodded quickly in agreement. 

They cleaned their room within a few hours. The incident was forgotten and never spoken about again. 

Harry's eyes stayed the same. They were unnervingly yellow, the color of amber. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Carter is Dudley's twin brother, but because he has magic, the Dursleys treat him the same way they treat Harry. I thought it would be interesting if Harry had a friend for once!


	2. A Letter

It was a Saturday night after dinner and Harry was quietly reading one of the books he had stolen from Dudley. Dudley hated reading, so Harry didn't feel particularly guilty about it. 

At a young age Harry realized he was very good at reading and memorizing information. It didn't take very long for him to outgrow Dudley's books, but he read them anyway. He knew it was good practice. 

Carter and Harry were both very good in school, though they often had to pretend not to be. The Dursleys hated when they did better than Dudley. Carter and Harry often snuck away to the library whenever possible to read books. Harry enjoyed reading about English and math. Math and English were his best subjects, and he could have out performed everyone in their class if it weren't for Dudley. 

Carter on the other hand, loved studying history and French. He was very good at learning other languages, and he enjoyed writing too. There was a stack of mismatched papers underneath the floorboard in their room where Carter kept a journal. 

Harry almost dropped his book when Carter suddenly burst into the room. 

"Harry!" Carter whispered furiously as he ran into their shared room. 

"What is it?" Harry asked quickly. 

"I just overheard something. Vernon was talking to Petunia about having us clean the attic out this summer. Petunia said we couldn't, because 'the stuff from James and Lily is up there'," Carter made air quotes with his fingers. "There is stuff from your parents up there!" 

Harry was speechless. Stuff from his parents? 

"Really?" He whispered. 

Carter nodded, "We will go look tonight. Just make sure to grab the flashlight while you are cleaning the garage."

Harry agreed, and they waited until everyone was asleep that night before making their move. 

Harry unlocked their bedroom door, which he noticed was a lot easier now. Prior to getting sick, it was very difficult for him to open the door. Now it was as simple as breathing. 

Carter pulled down the ladder as carefully as he could, but his hand slipped last second and the ladder began to fall. 

Without thinking Harry flung his hands outward. _Stop!_ He screamed inside his head, and the ladder stopped falling. 

Carter's eyes were wide as Harry used the force of his mind to slowly lower the ladder to the floor. 

_I don't know,_ Harry mouthed silently to him. Carter shook his head, and the two of them climbed the ladder. 

Harry turned in the flashlight as Carter pulled the ladder up behind them. The last thing they needed was Petunia or Vernon finding them. 

He scanned the small dusty attic, which he quickly realized was mostly full of boxes. However, in the far corner he noticed something different. A large wooden trunk. 

He slowly tiptoed over to it with Carter close on his heels. His eyes widened when he noticed the letters _HJP_ carved into the wood. 

He opened the trunk and had to suppress a cough as dust flew around him. He ignored it and used the flashlight to see inside of the trunk. 

He frowned when he realized it was mostly clothing. Baby clothing. He realized it must have been his clothing at some point. 

He dug deeper and found an unopened letter. He handed that to Carter to read later. He then found a small leather bag full of English pounds and coins he couldn't recognize. He handed it off before continuing. 

He found a large number of children's toys and more clothing. He shifted the toys around and realized there was nothing else of value. He gestured to Carter that it was time to leave, and they silently returned to their room. 

Carter began looking through the bag of coins, while Harry sat cross-legged on his bed. He opened the envelope carefully, wanting to keep it intact. His hands shook a little as he unfolded the letter. 

_Our dearest Harry,_

_We are so sorry. If you are reading this it means we are no longer alive. We never meant for this to happen. We hoped to return to you after the war ended, but circumstances made that impossible._

_We just want you to know that we love you more than anything on this earth Harry. We sent you away to keep you safe. The wizarding war was getting out of control. People were terrified, and if they found out what you were, they would have hurt you._

_Be careful Harry. As a dark wizard, many will wish to harm you once you join the magical world again and attend Hogwarts. Especially since your father and I were both light._

_Be wary of Dumbledore. He means well, and he always does what he thinks is best for the light, but you are not light Harry. He is not your friend. Do what you need to do in order to protect yourself. Work hard and become a strong wizard._

_As soon as you are able, go to Diagon Alley and meet with the goblins at Gringotts Bank. They will tell you everything you need to know about the Potter fortune. We have made sure you will have enough money in your trust fund to pay for your schooling at Hogwarts, and anything else you may need. Find a way to get in contact with Severus Snape if possible. He is a dark wizard like you, and he will help you if you need it. He is a little rough around the edges, but he was a childhood friend. He is a good ally to have._

_You must go to Diagon Alley to access the bank. If Petunia and Vernon refuse to take you to Diagon Alley, call the Knight bus. Use one of the galleons in the coin pouch we left for you. Throw it up in the air three times and say the words 'Knight Bus'. Give the driver the galleon coin and tell them you want to go to Diagon._

_Once the bus drops you off, you will see a bar called the Leaky Cauldron. Go inside and ask the bartender to show you the way to Diagon. Go to Gringotts first, then go to the bookstore. We doubt Petunia has told you much about our world, so you will probably have to purchase books on wizarding history._

_In the far back corner of Diagon Alley you will find Knockturn alley. That is where you have to go to learn more about dark witches and wizards. However, don't go there until you have read several books about the magical world. Knockturn Alley isn't always safe. Ask Severus to go with you, only dark witches and wizards can get past the Knockturn Alley wards._

_If you are anything like us, you will become powerful rather quickly. Study hard and make friends. You will need them._

_We love you Harry, and we want you to know that we will always be proud of you no matter what path you take. We know you will grow up to be a fine man. We just wish we could have been there to see it._

_Love,_

_Mom & Dad _

Harry read the letter over and over again. He was overwhelmed by so many different emotions. 

He was glad to learn his parents weren't drunks, and that they actually wanted to protect him. He was angry that they left him with people who hated his very existence. And on top of it all, he was extremely surprised to learn he was a wizard, and that there were other people like him. 

_Magic,_ that's what he could do. He suddenly looked at Carter who was watching him cautiously. 

"We are wizards," he told him bluntly, not knowing how else to break that news. 

Carter just blinked slowly before reaching for the letter. Harry gave it to him as he thought everything over. 

His parents loved him, and they left him their fortune. He glanced down at his oversized t-shirt and poked a finger through one of the many holes. _What would his parents think of him if they saw him now?_

Most of all he was sad. There was a whole world he didn't know anything about. _His world._ Petunia surely knew about it. Her sister was a witch after all. Plus she treated both Carter and Harry terribly. She must have known they were wizards, and she hated them for it. 

He wished more than anything his parents had survived whatever war they were fighting. One lone tear escaped and slid down his cheek. He quickly swiped it away. He didn't like crying. 

"Wow." Carter exclaimed as he dropped the letter onto the bed. "Not what I was expecting."

Harry nodded, "Yeah."

"What does that mean? And am I a dark wizard too?" 

"I don't know," Harry shrugged. "You might be. We will have to go to Diagon Alley tomorrow to find out."

"Tomorrow is Dudley's 11th birthday so that should be easy. I think they are taking him to the zoo and to the cinema after. They are making us stay home."

"Tomorrow is your birthday too Carter," Harry pointed out. 

Carter smiled. "Yes it is, and we are going to see the magical world. That sounds more fun than the zoo."

Harry returned his smile. They weren't crazy, or weird. They were just wizards. 


	3. Gringotts and Wardrobes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Carter and Harry are finally introduced to the wizarding world!

"Boys, you will stay here and complete your list of chores," Petunia lectured them for the tenth time that morning. "They better be finished when we return."

"Yes Petunia," both Harry and Carter replied together. 

Petunia then turned to Dudley and smiled, "Ready Dudders? Your friends are meeting us at the zoo."

Dudley smirked at Harry and Carter. "Yes mum, let's go!" 

Vernon smiled proudly at his youngest son before giving Carter and Harry a glare. The three of them left without another word, and Harry let out a sigh of relief. 

"Finally", Carter smiled. "Let's go Harry!"

Harry sprinted upstairs and grabbed the letter and coin pouch from under the floorboard before meeting Carter by the front door. 

"Ready?" Carter asked, and Harry nodded. 

They closed the door to 4 Privet Drive, excitement building in their chests. 

Harry removed one of the strange gold coins from the pouch and tossed it up into the air three times. At first he didn't expect anything to happen, but then a double decker bus appeared out of thin air. 

A rather gaunt looking man in ragged clothing leaned casually against the side of the bus. "Welcome to the Knight bus," he said, "emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. My name is Stan Shunpike and I will be your conductor for this morning."

Harry handed him the gold coin and said in a confident voice, "We'd like to go to Diagon Alley." He didn't want Stan Shunpike to question why two young boys were riding the bus alone. 

Stan didn't seem to care however. He gestured for them to sit before shouting, "Take it away Ernie!" 

The elderly bus driver pulled several ancient looking levers before the bus took off. Harry and Carter were thrown back into their seats, and they gave each other nervous looks. They were going so fast Harry could hardly see the buildings passing by. 

He gripped the seat tightly as they nearly crashed into several cars. Harry was all for a bit of fun, but this was excessive. 

Thankfully it didn't take long for them to reach their stop. 

"The Leaky Cauldron!" Stan shouted. 

Carter and Harry stumbled off the bus, wanting to escape the death trap as quickly as possible. They nodded to each other just before entering the bar. This was it. 

The second they stepped through the door, Harry was fascinated. There was a wizard reading a floating book in the corner, and another wizard (who Harry guessed was the bartender) levitating drinks across the bar to customers. 

Carter nudged him to get his attention and Harry refocused his attention. They needed to get into Diagon Alley, and his parents wrote they needed to ask the bartender for help. 

Harry walked as confidently as he could up to the bar. Well, as confidently as he could for a ten year old anyway.

"Well hello there lads," the bartender greeted them, his purple eyes crinkling at the edges. "What can I do for you?" 

"Could you help us get into Diagon Alley?" Harry asked sweetly. "We are supposed to meet our mother at the bookstore."

The bartender smiled, "Of course lads. Follow me."

The bartender led them through the bar to a brick wall in the back. He pulled a dark colored stick out of the inside of his jacket and tapped several random bricks on the wall. Harry memorized the order in case they decided to come back in the near future. 

The bricks quickly rearranged themselves, revealing a bustling alley full of strangely dressed people and many different shops. Harry and Carter thanked the bartender and walked casually towards the alley. They didn't want to appear to be too excited. After all, they were supposed to have been to Diagon before. 

They walked slowly through the alley taking in all the sights and sounds. Harry was amazed by everything he saw. There were animal shops, sweet shops, book stores and tailor shops. But Harry found the people to be the most interesting part of it all. Their eyes were… abnormal, just like his. Some of the older people had glittering purple eyes, light green eyes, blood red eyes, and fiery orange eyes, while some of the teenagers had bright yellow eyes like his, green eyes, or royal blue eyes. He even saw one old man with glowing cyan blue eyes. There were so many colors, and Harry was in awe. It was beautiful. He made a note in his head to learn more about it when they visited the book shop later. 

"Let's find the bank first," Harry told Carter, who nodded. 

They wandered around for the next 15 minutes until they came across a grand white building with tall, ancient looking pillars. The words 'Gringotts Bank' were inscribed above large wooden doors in gold. Harry took a deep breath and climbed the steps. 

There was a strange looking being standing just outside of the doors, guarding the entrance. Harry assumed the being must be one of the goblins his parents mentioned in their letter. He didn't spend too much time observing the goblin, he didn’t want to offend it. 

He continued inside the bank with Carter following closely behind him. He had to hide his expression of awe as he admired the interior of the bank. There was gold everywhere. In the floor, in the pillars, on the ceiling. He quickly realized the goblins must be incredibly wealthy. 

He approached the nearest bank teller. The teller ignored him at first. Feeling a little annoyed, Harry cleared his throat politely. 

The goblin finally looked down from his perch at the tall desk and bared his teeth. "Yes?" 

"I would like to speak to someone about my trust fund," Harry said, repeating what his parents had written in their letter. 

"And with whom am I speaking?" 

"Harry James Potter," he said as confidently as he could manage. 

The goblin sneered, "Do you have your key Mr. Potter?" 

Harry frowned. "No, I never received my key."

"Very well, follow Leznek and he will verify your identity and get you a key."

The rude goblin turned back to the stack of papers on his desk and ignored Harry once again. Harry kept his expression polite despite the fact that he was irritated. He decided he didn't like the goblins. 

Another goblin approached Harry and Carter and gestured for them to follow. He led them into a private room, decorated with more gold and various weapons. 

The goblin sat behind a desk and motioned for them to sit. He then removed a small silver dagger and a piece of parchment from the desk. He passed the dagger to Harry. "In order to verify your identity, we must conduct a blood test. Pick your finger with the dagger and allow three drops of blood to fall onto the parchment."

Not wanting to appear nervous, Harry immediately picked up the dagger and pricked his finger. The dagger was so sharp he didn't feel any pain, and he allowed three drops of blood to fall onto the parchment.

Immediately after, red words began to form. 

Harry James Potter 

Born July 31st 1980

Parents: James Potter, Lily Potter (deceased) 

Godfather: Sirius Black (compromised) 

Magic Archetype: Dark

Magic Classification: Amber 

Emblem(s): To be determined 

Vaults:

Harry Potter Trust : 135,000 galleons 

Potter Family Vault (unavailable until age 17)

Potter Artifact Vault (unavailable until age 17)

Properties:

Diagon Alley Flat, London

Potter Manor, Cornwall (unavailable until age 17)

Harry had so many questions after reading the parchment. What did magic classification mean? What were emblems? Who was Sirius Black? And how were his parents so wealthy? 

He decided to only ask questions about the vaults for now. He could research his other questions later. 

"How many pounds equal a galleon?" He asked first. 

"Approximately five pounds," Leznek replied evenly. "You currently have 135,000 galleons in your account, which roughly equates to 675,000 pounds. Your parents stated in their will that 15,000 galleons should be deposited into your trust every year on your birthday until you turn 17. On your 17th birthday you will inherit the Potter family vault and the Potter artifact vault, as well as Potter Manor."

Harry swallowed with some difficulty. It was too much. He had never heard of anyone having so much money before, and it was a lot to process. He had over half a million pounds in his trust fund, and an apartment in Diagon Alley. 

More than anything else though, he was elated. He didn't have to live off of scraps anymore. He could buy food any time he wanted. Good food. He could buy his own clothes and books. He didn't have to wear hand-me-downs anymore. 

It was a massive weight off of his shoulders. He didn't need the Dursleys anymore. 

He looked to Carter with a smile on his face, and noticed Carter smiling sadly. Harry realized Carter thought Harry wasn't going to need him now that he had money. Harry quickly made a decision. He turned to Leznek once again. "I would like to open an account for Carter and transfer him 40,000 galleons from my trust fund."

The goblin raised an eyebrow in surprise before nodding. "Very well."

Harry ignored Carter when he tried to protest, and soon enough they were signing forms to open Carter's account and transfer the money from Harry's trust. 

Carter was Harry's best friend. They relied on each other for everything, and they were closer than Carter and Dudley had ever been. Carter and Harry were brothers, so he wasn't about to leave him behind. 

Soon enough the goblin handed them bronze keys, a piece of parchment containing information on how to access the Diagon Alley flat, and black pouches. "Here are the keys to your vaults, information and extended money pouches which allow you to access your money from anywhere. The pouches have several security features. Only you can access the pouch, anyone else who tries will be cursed. It will also return to you if you accidentally lose it. The pouch has a yearly fee of 30 galleons."

"That's fine," Harry agreed quickly. He wanted to be able to access his money anytime. Plus it was the safest way to carry his money. The Dursleys would never be able to access it. 

"May we have some of the galleons converted into pounds?" Carter asked curiously. Harry had forgotten about that. They would need pounds to shop at regular stores near 4 Privet Drive. 

Leznek nodded, "The pouch will automatically do that for you. Just hold the pouch tightly and think of the amount of money you need, whether it be pounds of galleons, and that amount will appear in your hand. If it is an excessive amount of money, you can instead have that money transfered to the store owner's account through a Gringotts transfer. This requires you to fill out a simple piece of parchment at the time of purchase. The transfer will be instantaneous. However, this transfer only works for magical shops."

Carter and Harry both nodded and picked up their keys and pouches. Leznek cleared his throat, "Make sure to look after your key. You can store it in the pouch for safe keeping."

They both slipped their keys into their black pouches and thanked the goblin before leaving the bank. 

Harry took a deep breath of fresh air as they stepped outside. The bank had been rather stuffy, plus the goblins were rude and he was glad to escape them. 

"Bloody hell Harry, what was that!" Carter exclaimed once they were back on the crowded streets. "40,000 galleons? Why?" 

"Carter you're my brother. You have always taken care of me, so I'm always going to take care of you. Did you honestly think I was going to let you rot forever as the Dursley's poor, troublemaking son? We are wizards. Our path is different, and we are better than them."

Carter had a soft smile on his face as Harry finished his speech. "You're a pretty great brother you know."

Harry just grabbed his shoulder and dragged him over to the book shop while hiding his smile. "I try my best."

Carter stopped just before they reached the shop. "Hey, do you think we should maybe get some new clothes first? You know, we kind of… stand out looking like this."

Harry looked down at his own baggy clothing and nodded. "Yeah they might just kick us out if we go in there like this."

The two boys set out and found the nearest clothing shop. A place called Madam Malkin's. 

A bell rang as they stepped inside the shop, and they were greeted by a friendly elderly woman. "What can I get for you boys?" 

"We need new clothes," Carter explained, pulling at his oversized shirt. "A lot of new clothes actually. We kind of ruined ours."

She gave them a knowing look, "Alright then, are you looking for a full wardrobe?" 

"What does that include?" Harry asked. 

"Five pairs of trousers, five day robes, five dress shirts, three jumpers, a traveling cloak, a belt, socks, undergarments, and two pairs of shoes." 

"How much?" Carter asked. 

"90 galleons."

Harry nodded, "We'll take it."

"Excellent," she smiled. "I require half immediately, and half once the wardrobe is finished." 

Carter and Harry both filled out Gringotts transfer slips to transfer Madam Malkin 45 galleons each. Then she measured them with a floating tape measure and asked what colored clothing they wanted. 

Harry asked for a black, green, red, and grey, themed wardrobe, while Carter asked for a purple, orange, charcoal grey, and black themed wardrobe. Both asked for the majority of their clothing to be black. They preferred darker clothing. It made it easier for them to blend into the background. Flashy clothing was asking for trouble. 

After about a half an hour, Madam Malkin finished tailoring their clothing. She led them into a back room where their new wardrobes were hanging on display. Harry gently caressed one of his wool jumpers. It was soft, and new, and his. It wasn't one of Dudley's hand-me-downs. 

"Would you boys each like to put on one of your new outfits?" Madam Malkin asked with a smile. They both nodded quickly, and she showed them to two private changing rooms. Harry pulled on a red wool jumper and a pair of black trousers, with a pair of black socks, and his new black shoes. He never could have imagined how good it would feel just to wear socks and shoes that actually fit him. 

He met Carter outside of the fitting rooms, and found his cousin wearing a black jumper with charcoal gray trousers and black shoes. 

They grinned at one another. "Harry this is amazing," Carter laughed. 

"I know," Harry replied. "But let's go. We have a lot of shopping to do before the Dursleys get home."

They each threw on a black robe over their jumpers and hurried back to the front of the store with their old tattered clothing folded under their arms. Madam Malkin had already wrapped up their clothing in large bundles. She tapped each bundle with her wand and they shrunk down to the size of a match box. 

She noticed them and walked over to inspect them. She adjusted Harry's jumper, "Yes very good. A perfect fit. The red really brings out the amber in your eyes."

Something clicked inside Harry's mind. The parchment from the bank said 'Magic Classification: Amber'. Did his new eye color have something to do with that? 

He smiled up at Madam Malkin and noticed her eyes were a glittering purple. What did it all mean? 

He had to figure it out. 

"Thank you Madam," he replied. She fussed over Carter for a minute before handing them their bundles. She asked them if they wanted her to throw their old clothing away, but they refused. They couldn't wear their new clothing while they were still living with the Dursleys. They would surely notice and punish them for stealing. 

She gave them another knowing look and shrunk down their old clothes and ratty shoes into bundles. "When you return home just hold the bundle in your hand and say the word 'unravel' in order to return it to its normal size."

They thanked her again and paid their remaining fees before slipping the bundles into their pockets and leaving the shop. 

Now they looked like real wizards, they could explore without attracting too much attention.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave kudos if you like this so far!


	4. New Friends

Harry and Carter quickly made their way to the bookshop. The shopkeeper looked up from his book as they entered. He narrowed his sapphire blue eyes when he saw them and glared. 

Harry ignored the man and continued into the shop. Carter and Harry decided to split up shortly after and wander the shelves. 

Harry gravitated towards the section labeled 'The Modern Magical World'. He picked up a handful of titles including 'An Introduction to the Magical World', 'A breakdown of the Ministry For Magic', 'Magical Schools Across the Globe', 'Magical Transportation', 'Classifications of Light and Dark Magic Practicers', and 'An Introduction to Emblems'. 

He tucked them underneath his arm as Carter walked quickly towards him. 

"Hey," the blond boy said, slightly out of breath. "I found a lot of books on the war your parents mentioned in their letter. It was called the Crimson War. I grabbed every book I could on the subject." 

"Great," Harry nodded. "See if you can find any books on Dumbledore and Hogwarts. They also mentioned that in the letter."

Carter nodded and turned to leave, but Harry stopped him. "Hey, we also need to find more books on Dark and Light magic. We still don't know what you are, but I think eye color has something to do with it."

They split once again and Harry picked up any book that he thought would be useful. 

'Introduction to Charms'

'Protective Wards and Spells'

'Wand Wood and Cores'

'Magizoology: Animals of the Magical World'

'An Introduction to Ancient Runes'

'1st Year Transfiguration' 

'Latin Vocabulary' 

'Arithmancy for Beginners' 

'Basic Potions' 

'Communication in the Magical World' 

'The Language of the Mermaids'

He grabbed the last one for Carter’s birthday. He knew Carter loved studying languages, so he wanted to give him materials to study a new language. By the time he was done, he had a massive pile of books stacked in the corner. He continued browsing for a while anyways. He was endlessly fascinated by everything he saw. He wanted to read every book he came across. There was so much information on so many topics. He didn't even know where to begin. 

Harry was startled from his thoughts when a shorter boy with a round face stumbled around the corner. The boy had his nose deep in a book about magical plants and didn't even see Harry right away. 

"Hello," Harry said politely to keep the boy from running directly into him. 

The boy flinched and stepped back. "Um hi," he said quietly. He narrowed his eyes as he looked at Harry, "Wow I've never seen an Amber your age before. You must be really powerful."

"Um, not really," Harry said, not wanting to seem ignorant. "I'm just average I guess."

Harry noticed the boy had brown eyes with small flecks of gold, exactly like Carter. Exactly like Harry's before they changed. 

The boy laughed awkwardly. "I mean I doubt that's true, but okay."

The shopkeeper shushed them from the front of the shop, and the boy sighed heavily. "He hates dark magic users. He always gives me a hard time whenever I'm here."

Harry realized this boy was obviously familiar with the magical world. The boy could turn out to be a well of information if he played his cards right. 

"Does he? Well at least you're not alone this time."

The boy smiled, "Yeah that's true."

"What's your name?" Harry asked. 

"Neville. Yours?" 

"Harry," he reached out his hand and Neville shook it. "Say Neville, my cousin and I just recently learned about magic, and we honestly don't know much about… well, really anything I guess. Would you mind explaining some things for us maybe?"

Neville nodded in sympathy, "That must be really hard. Yeah of course I can help. Do you maybe want to pay for your books and head over to Florean Fortescue's for ice cream?" He glanced over at the angry shopkeeper. "It's easier to talk there."

Harry nodded, and Neville helped him carry his massive pile of books up to the counter. 

"Wow, I hope you have a trunk with a huge library compartment for all these books," Neville laughed.

"Actually I don't," Harry said. "Where can I get one?" 

"Oh," Neville blinked. "Maybe we should go and buy you a trunk before we get ice cream."

Carter stumbled up to the counter with another massive pile of books. "Hey Harry I found everything we were looking for."

Harry smiled and introduced Carter to Neville. 

"Hey Neville," Carter said with an easy smile. "It's nice to meet you."

The angry shopkeeper began adding up Harry's books. "Do you even have enough money for this boy," he grumbled. 

"I do, actually," Harry replied with narrow eyes. "I could probably buy every book in this shop if I wanted. Hell, I could probably even buy the shop itself."

Harry wasn't the type to brag about anything. He never had anything to brag about, but he wasn't about to let this bigoted man insult him. 

The shopkeeper glared, but didn't say another word. He wasn't about to miss out on such a big sale. Between Carter and Harry, he would probably make more money in one day than he normally would in a week. 

Harry turned back to Carter, "Neville is going to help us buy trunks to store our books and then we are going to Florean Fortescue's for ice cream."

Carter grinned, "That sounds great. Thanks Neville."

"No problem," Neville blushed. 

The shopkeeper shrunk down their books into pocket sized packages, much like Madam Malkin did with their clothing. 

"The password is 'Books of Diagon'," The bitter man told them. 

Carter and Harry paid for their books, before adding the packages to their already full pockets and following Neville out into the crowds. 

"It's this way," Neville explained as they walked down the street towards Gringotts. "There are loads of different trunks to choose from. Mine has a library compartment and a small garden compartment to grow magical plants. It's wicked." 

Harry's mind spun with this new information. What kind of trunk would he buy? 

They eventually found themselves standing in front of a shop with large, glittering windows. Neville led them inside, and Harry quickly found himself overwhelmed by the sheer number of trunks stacked all over the store. 

The shop had several attendants speaking to various customers, but their small group was greeted by an orange eyed woman who looked to be in her 20's.

"Hey Neville," she smiled. 

"Hey Lola," He replied. "Um, my friends here need to buy trunks."

"Okay," she clapped her hands. "Do you know what features you want?" 

Carter and Harry both shook their heads no. "That's fine," she grabbed a piece of parchment from the counter and handed it to them. "These are the features we offer. You can take a few minutes to look it over, and come find me when you are done."

They thanked her and began scanning the list, 

**Compartment Features (come in small, medium, or large sizes)**

Basic storage compartment 

Hidden lockbox compartment

Library compartment

Magical garden compartment 

Potions storage compartment 

Wardrobe compartment

Weapons compartment 

Quidditch compartment 

Small compartments: 5 galleons 

Medium compartments: 10 galleons

Large compartments: 15 galleons 

**Accessibility and Safety Features**

Basic locking feature: Allows you to place a password on the entire trunk. This password would open all compartments. Magic is not needed to open the trunk with the basic locking feature. Only the password is needed. (5 galleons) 

Advanced locking feature: Allows you to place a password on each individual compartment. The owner's magic is needed to open all compartments. Tapping the trunk with the owner's wand is sufficient. (10 galleons) 

Basic wards: Prevents the trunk and it's contents from being damaged by both violent intent, misuse and time. (5 galleons) 

Advanced wards: Prevents the trunk and its contents from being damaged by violent intent, misuse and time. If someone attempts to break into the trunk, the owner will be notified by a note written on the lid. Anyone attempting to break in will be cursed with silver hands for three days. The owner will be able to lock the trunk in place with a password. No one but the owner will be able to move the trunk once locked in place. (13 galleons) 

Shrinking feature: Allows the owner to shrink the trunk down to the size of a match box and carry it with them. (7 galleons). 

"What's quidditch?" Carter asked. 

Neville's eyes went wide. "Okay you definitely want that compartment. It's a magical sport. I will tell you about it over ice cream."

Harry thought over what compartments he would need. He didn't know enough about the magical world to make a proper decision, but he did need a place to store his things, especially his books. 

In the end he decided to get all the compartments except the magical garden compartment. He didn't think he would need that. He also decided to get the advanced locking feature, the shrinking feature, and the advanced wards. Now that he finally had his own things, he didn't want anyone to be able to destroy them. 

Lola walked over to them several minutes later, "Have you guys decided?" 

Harry nodded, "Yes." He pointed out everything he wanted. He asked for all of the compartments to large compartments except for the weapons and quidditch compartments. Those he wanted to be medium sized. 

He knew it was probably excessive to ask for so many compartments, but he would probably be using this trunk for the rest of his life, and he wanted it to be big enough for everything he might need. 

Carter asked for the same compartments and features as Harry, except Carter wanted large weapons and quidditch compartments. 

Harry wasn't even surprised. 

If Lola was surprised by their requests she didn't show it. She wrote everything down on a piece of parchment. "Okay," she smiled. "Now you just have to pick your trunk design. Just walk around and have a look. Let me know when you find one you like."

They agreed and set off in different directions to explore the trunks. 

Harry honestly didn't even know where to begin. There were just so many to choose from. In the end though, he just picked a random corner and started looking. 

There were red trunks, black trunks, blue trunks, and green trunks. Trunks that looked to be made of pure gold, and some that were almost translucent. Harry had no idea why anyone would want a translucent trunk, but it wasn't his business. 

Eventually after a half an hour of searching he found a dark mahogany trunk with black clasps. He chose it after noticing the battle scene carved into the sides. There were witches and wizards raging across a battlefield covered in smoke and ash. It reminded him of his parents, so he informed Lola of his choice, and she took the trunk into the back room to be fitted with wards and compartments. The trunk was 35 galleons not including the alterations, but he decided he could splurge a little. 

Carter found his trunk shortly after, a plain charcoal gray trunk with black clasps. It was cheaper than Harry's at 25 galleons, but still beautiful. 

Lola and another wizard used (what Harry now realized were) wands, to make the alterations to their trunks. 

Carter and Harry paid for their trunks via Gringotts transfer. In total, both Carter and Harry paid 160 galleons for their new trunks. It was expensive. Harry felt extremely guilty about spending so much money in one day, but everything he purchased would be useful. He knew they were very behind in terms of magical knowledge. Everything they bought today would help them change that. 

Once their transactions were completed, they added their new clothes and books to the trunks. 

Lola shrunk their trunks for them before leaning over to whisper in Harry's ear, "You're going to need a wand to add your magical signature and passwords to the trunk. Otherwise the security features can't be activated. If you don't own one already, I would recommend going to 'Rowan's Wands' in Knockturn Alley. He makes wands specifically for dark wizards. They are much better suited for our kind than 'Ollivander' s Wands' here in Diagon Alley. He also sells wands to anyone over the age of five, so that's an added bonus. We tend to start learning at a younger age. We don't like it when light witches and wizards beat us in a duel."

Harry nodded and smiled, he could read between the lines. He needed to start practicing as soon as possible. Otherwise, he would have no way to protect himself. They would have to go to Rowan's before they returned to the Dursleys tonight. 

"I might just take your advice," he said. "Thank you."

"Anytime," she winked. "We have to stick together."

The three boys found themselves standing outside of Florean Fortescue's a short while later. 

"You guys really wanted the best trunks, didn't you?" Neville asked with a shy smile. 

Carter shrugged, "Let's just say we like to have options."

Harry nodded in agreement. That was the trick after all. Flexibility. Anyone could survive if they were adaptable. Carter and Harry prided themselves on being adaptable. Their new trunks, their books, their new clothes… all of it played a part. But most importantly, their trunks made it easy to be mobile. They could hide all of their belongings in a safe place without worrying. They could fill an extra trunk with food and Petunia would never know. 

Harry smiled mischievously at Neville. "Hey Neville, I'm buying. What ice cream do you want?" 

"Really?" Neville asked with wide eyes. In that moment Harry realized Neville probably didn't have many friends. 

He liked Neville. Neville was genuine, and there weren't many people like that in the world. 

Harry nodded, "Yeah really. Go ahead, order whatever you want." 


	5. Yew and Rougarou Heartstring

The three of them ordered their ice cream and sat down at a small table hidden away in the corner of the shop. 

They dug in, and Harry spent the next few minutes quietly savoring his treat. He could count on one hand the number of times he had eaten ice cream over the years. It was one of the best things he had ever tasted, and he had to suppress the grin that threatened to form on his face. 

"So," Neville began. "What questions did you want to ask?" 

Carter laughed and looked to Harry, “Honestly Neville we know almost nothing about this world. We just learned about it yesterday.” 

Neville’s eyes went wide, “Wait… really?” 

Harry nodded, “Yeah it’s true.”

“Wow,” Neville breathed. “I… I’m sorry.” 

“It’s okay,” Harry waved him off. “Would you just… help us understand some things? About dark witches and wizards? Do people not like us?” 

Neville nodded, “Yeah, light witches and wizards dislike us for the most part. They don’t trust us because of the Crimson War. Do you know about the war?”

“Only a little,” Harry said as he finished the last of his ice cream. “I know my parents fought in the war.”

“So did mine,” He rubbed at the back of his neck, “My parents died during Operation Blackfire.” 

“What was that, if you don’t mind me asking? I think my parents died in the war, but I’m not exactly sure.” Harry shrugged sadly. 

“It was Albus Dumbledore, the light lord’s plan to capture the Dark Lord Voldemort. Dumbledore and Voldemort were the leaders of the opposing sides. There was an accident though and the mission went wrong. Many people died, though they did catch Voldemort in the end,” Neville explained. “Who were your parents Harry?”

“James and Lily Potter.” 

Neville blanched. “Our parents were close friends. They were all part of Dumbledore’s inner circle.” 

“So your parents were light too?” Harry leaned forward in his seat. “Do… do you know how my parents died?” 

“They died alongside mine,” Neville confirmed sadly. “I’m so sorry you didn’t know.” 

Harry nodded as he absorbed this information. His parents died alongside Neville’s. “I’m sorry you lost your parents too Neville.” 

“It’s okay,” Neville shrugged. “I live with my grandmother now. Though the fact that I am a dark wizard doesn’t exactly help things. My grandmother and parents were all light.” 

“I guess we have a lot in common then,” Harry smiled grimly. “Hey, what did you mean when you said I was an ‘Amber’ earlier?” 

“Oh yeah,” Neville began digging around in his bag. “That’s important.” 

He pulled out a book and began flipping through it. Eventually he found his page and set it on the table in front of Harry and Carter. He pointed to a table and explained,

“It’s your eye color. Dark and light witches and wizards have different eye colors, and our eye’s change colors as we become older and more powerful.” 

  
  
  
  


Harry looked over the tables and soaked up the information. So he was an Amber? He pointed to the table, “I’m not supposed to be an amber until I turn 14? Then how…?”

Neville nodded, “Yeah I was really surprised when I first saw you. It's uncommon for that to happen. How old are you guys?” 

“I just turned 11 today, and Harry turns 11 in a few weeks on July 31st,” Carter smiled.

“Oh, Happy Birthday!” Neville grinned. “If I had met you guys sooner, I would have gotten you a gift. And Harry, we have the same birthday!” 

Both Carter and Harry returned his grin, “Wow we really do have a lot in common,” Harry said. 

“Yeah we do! Do you maybe want to celebrate together?” 

Harry considered that for a minute. He wasn’t sure whether or not he would be able to leave the house. But in the end he nodded. He would figure out a way to leave the Dursleys. He thought he deserved to celebrate his birthday for once. 

“Great,” Neville smiled. “We can meet here at 11AM?” 

“Yeah that sounds good,” Harry agreed. 

“Great, so what was I saying before? Oh wait, I remember. You asked why you became an Amber at such a young age. It has to do with the upper and lower power levels. So for dark witches and wizards, Tiger eye, Amber, and Carnelian are the lower power levels. Jasper, Pyrope, and Obsidian are the upper power levels,” Neville explained. “So each power level is six times more powerful than the previous level. Because of this, most witches and wizard’s magical cores stop expanding when they reach Carnelian and Amethyst. Though, when a witch or wizard is going to peak in one of the upper power levels, their magical core expands quicker than normal. They say your magical core stops growing completely once you turn 20 years old, so I think that's why powerful witches and wizards grow more powerful more quickly.”

“So… your saying I will probably peak in one of the upper power levels?” Harry asked. 

“Yeah, I would guess so. I have never heard of someone becoming an Amber at your age.” Neville grinned, “You’re going to be really powerful I think. I guess that’s not surprising though. Your parents were also powerful. I think your dad was a Larimar, and your mom was a Jade.” 

“Wow,” Harry exclaimed as he looked at the table again. Maybe he would even be as powerful as his father. _Six times more powerful than the previous level,_ he thought to himself. _That means the power difference between a Tiger Eye and an Obsidian is astronomical._

“Are there any known Moonstones or Obsidians?” Carter asked.”

“Yeah,” Neville nodded. “The Light Lord Dumbledore is a Moonstone, and the Dark Lord Voldemort is an Obsidian.” 

“Wow,” Carter breathed. “A war between the two most powerful wizards in the world. That must have been intense.” 

“Yeah I think it was,” Neville nodded. 

“How did Lord Dumbledore win against Lord Voldemort?” Harry asked. 

“Well,” Neville leaned forward in his seat, and Carter and Harry followed suit. “This isn’t public knowledge, but my gran told me Lord Dumbledore trapped Lord Voldemort’s entire inner circle. The rumor is that Voldemort cared deeply for his inner circle and he tried to rescue them. But of course that’s what Lord Dumbledore was hoping for. I don’t know anything else though. I doubt anyone really knows the truth, other than the people who were there.” 

“That’s… cold,” Harry frowned. 

“Yeah. I guess war is like that though,” Carter said. 

Harry asked, “So where are they now?” 

“Lord Dumbledore is the headmaster of Hogwarts, and Lord Voldemort was locked away in Crowmark.” 

“Crowmark?”

“Oh,” Neville shifted in his seat. “It’s an underwater prison somewhere in the Atlantic ocean. No one knows where it is. It’s meant to hold the upper power levels. The lower power levels are held in Azkaban, an island prison off the British coast.” 

Harry nodded. He would have to read more books on the war. He needed to know what the goals of the war were, and he needed to know more about Dumbledore. He would attend Hogwarts, which was under Dumbledore’s control. If his parents thought it was necessary to warn Harry about Dumbledore, he needed to learn everything he could about the man he was dealing with. 

Carter looked at the clock on the wall, “Harry we only have a few hours left. We should probably finish our shopping.” 

Harry nodded. They needed to buy wands. “Hey Neville, do you have a wand yet?” 

Neville blushed, “No. My gran said I have to wait until I’m 11 to get my wand from Ollivanders like all of the light witches and wizards.” 

Carter and Harry looked at each other, then looked back to Neville. “We are going to Rowan’s in Knockturn. Do you want to come with us? Your gran doesn’t have to know.” 

Neville hesitated, “I don’t know guys. She would be furious. Plus she always said Knockturn was dangerous because it was full of dark wizards.” 

“Neville, you are a dark wizard,” Harry smiled. “You can hide it in your trunk. Then maybe we can practice together?” 

Neville seemed to like that idea a lot. He was silent for a moment, but then he nodded slowly. “Okay, but we can’t stay there for too long. My gran is supposed to come and pick me up…” 

“We will just get the wands and come right back. I promise,” Harry said as he stood with a smile. “Let’s go.” 

Harry had learned long ago that you needed to break the rules in order to succeed. If they had always listened to Petunia and Vernon growing up, they might have starved to death. 

Together, the three of them made their way to the back of Diagon Alley where they found a very dark, narrow walkway. Neville looked nervous, but Carter confidently led the way through. They eventually came to a solid wall of black stone. They looked around for the entrance, but couldn’t seem to find one. 

“Do you think it's like the entrance to Diagon?” Carter asked, and he pressed his hand against the wall, only his hand didn’t touch stone, it went straight through. 

“Well there's your answer,” Harry raised his eyebrows. 

Carter continued on through the fake wall, with Harry and Neville following closely behind him. The darkness went on for several steps, but then they suddenly found themselves in a bustling shopping district. There were mothers holding their children's hands, men leaning against a stone wall chatting casually, friends enjoying coffee and tea in the gardens of a tea shop. It looked perfectly safe and happy. 

Harry quickly noticed the people were exclusively dark witches and wizards. He saw Tiger Eyes, Ambers, Carnelians, and even a couple of Jaspers. 

“Wow,” Neville grinned. “This is so cool. My gran was definitely wrong about this place.” 

“My parents too,” Harry smiled, remembering what his parents wrote in their letter. They picked a random direction and began walking, trying to find Rowan’s Wand Shop. 

It took them about 10 minutes of walking, but eventually they came across a shop with the words ‘Rowan’s Wand Shop’ written in silver. 

They quickly entered the shop, they didn’t know how long it would take to get a wand so they didn’t want to waste time. 

The naturally lit shop was neatly organized and cozy. There was a blazing fireplace in one corner, and a couple of sofas in the other corner. Behind the counter was an elderly man graying hair and blood red eyes. A Jasper. He smiled gently at them, “Hello lads. What can I do for you today?” 

“We would like to buy wands,” Carter said confidently.

The man, who Harry assumed must be Rowan, waved for them to follow him. They followed him into a grand back room with tables full of wood sticks and random objects he couldn’t identify. 

Rowan gestured to the tables. “First you must select the wood for the wand. Walk around and pick the one that speaks to you.” 

“How do we know which one to pick?” Harry asked.

“You will know,” Rowan answered cryptically. 

The three boys shrugged at one another and began circling the room, trying to find their wands. 

Neville found his first, a golden brown piece of wood. He handed it to Rowan who nodded, “Chestnut, yes yes.” 

Carter found his a few minutes later, a pale wood, but Harry was having trouble. Every wand he touched felt cold and dead. He could tell they weren’t meant for him. After about 10 minutes he felt like giving up. Maybe he wouldn’t find one today.

Rowan shook his head, “Be patient lad. Sometimes it takes time to find the perfect match.” 

Harry took a deep breath and moved further back into the room. He was determined to find his wand today. He needed to practice. 

Harry suddenly felt a pull towards a table at the very back of the room. He skipped the other tables and walked straight to it. He waved his hand over the table, and noticed he felt a particularly strong pull to one piece of wood. He picked it up and he felt it immediately. This was his. 

He handed it to Rowan who swallowed thickly. “Alright then,” he said after clearing his throat. “Now you must pick your core. Do the same things with the other tables until you find it.” 

The three of them set out again. This time Carter found his first, a white feather. Harry and Neville found their cores at the same time. Harry’s was a blood red piece of string, while Neville’s was a piece of bone. 

They all handed their cores to Rowan. He took them and nodded, “Very good. You may go and sit in the front while I make your wands. It won’t take long.” 

They all plopped down on the sofa in the front of the store to wait. Harry listened curiously as Neville explained Quidditch to Carter. Carter looked thrilled by the idea of flying on a broom, and Harry decided they would have to buy brooms. Maybe he would buy him one as a late birthday present. They could go flying with Neville.

Neville spent the next 20 minutes explaining the rules of quidditch and how Hogwarts had quidditch matches between the different houses. 

“Houses?” Harry asked. 

“When we first go to Hogwarts, we are sorted into one of the four houses based on our personalities. The houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw,” Neville explained, but before he could continue Rowan returned with three black boxes. Harry decided he would have to research the Hogwarts houses later. 

Rowan passed a box to each of them. They opened their boxes, and Rowan picked up Carter’s pale wand, “Aspen and thunderbird tail feather, 12 inches. A dueler's wand. You must be strong minded my boy. You will make a fine warrior someday. Keep in mind, it may take some time and practice before this wand bonds to you completely, but once bonded it will be more loyal than any friend." Carter beamed at the elderly man.

Rowan picked up Neville’s wand next. “Chestnut and White River Monster spine, 11 inches. A rare combination. Chestnut is perfect for herbology and care of magical creatures. White River Monster spine cores produce spells of force and elegance. You will be a very capable wizard lad.” Neville took the wand back from Rowan and held it with an awed expression on his face. 

He picked up Harry’s wand then, "Yew with a Rogarou heartstring core, 11 ½ inches." Rowan looked slightly nervous. "Impressive. And here we must have a leader on our hands. A very rare wand this one is. This is only the second Yew and Rougarou wand I have ever sold. This core was a gift from the American wand maker Violetta Beauvais. Yes, what a skilled woman she was. Rougarou heartstring cores are very well suited for powerful dark magic. You are destined for great things Mr. Potter." 

Harry gently took the bone white wand from Rowan. The handle was curved slightly, which made it comfortable to hold. There were black runes carved into the side, and Harry could feel the strong magic thrumming through the wand.

“Who else did you sell a Yew and Rougarou wand to?” 

Rowan appeared to hesitate, as if he wasn’t sure whether or not he should answer Harry’s question. 

He clenched his jaw and looked deep into Harry’s eyes, “I sold this same wand to the Dark Lord Voldemort. Your wands are twins. The wood from your wands came from the same tree, and the Rougarou heartstrings came from the same Rougarou.” 

Harry’s jaw dropped. He didn’t even attempt to hide his shock. Neville and Carter both had similar expressions on their face. 

“I would keep that information to yourself lad,” Rowan said in a low tone. “I’m sure our enemies wouldn’t take kindly to a boy who has the same wand as Voldemort.” 

Harry swallowed and nodded. He didn’t know why this wand chose him, but it did. If anyone found out it would put a huge target on his back. Who knew what Dumbledore would do if he found out.

They paid for their wands, and purchased wand holsters to strap their wands to their inner forearms. Rowan explained it was common for dark witches and wizards to do this. They were often targets for light witches and wizards, so they wanted their wands to be easy to access. Neville asked Rowan about the trace, which Rowan explained had been neutralized the second they walked through the Knockturn Alley wards. He explained that the trace had been invented by light witches and wizards to prevent dark witches and wizards from practicing at a young age unless they were on Hogwarts grounds. It was a way for light witches and wizards to monitor them. So the founder of Knockturn figured out a way to disable it. Harry was glad the trace wouldn’t be an issue for them. He wanted to start practicing magic as soon as possible.

As soon as they left the shop, Harry turned to Neville and Carter. “Please don’t tell anyone about my wand,” he asked them quietly. 

Neville nodded, “I swear I won’t.” 

“And you know I wouldn’t do that,” Carter said. 

“Good,” Harry breathed. He didn’t want to mysteriously end up dead or locked away in Crowmark before he even started school. 

The three of them made their way back to Diagon Alley, and Neville saw his grandmother waiting outside of the Leaky Cauldron. She looked angry.

“Can I owl you guys?” He asked as he hid his wand inside of his bag. 

“Ummm….” Carter said. 

“Owling is like delivering letters using an owl," he explained. "You guys probably don’t have an owl yet?” 

“No,” Harry shook his head. “Plus I don’t think that is a good idea. Our aunt wouldn’t like it if owls started showing up to our house.” 

Neville nodded, “Okay, I will just see you here for our birthday then?” 

“Yeah we will be here,” Harry nodded. 

Neville waved to them, “Bye guys, I will see you later then!” 

“Bye Neville,” they waved. 

Carter and Harry left Diagon Alley shortly after Neville, and walked through the streets of London until they came across a clothing store. They each bought new t-shirts and jeans, knowing they needed clothing that they could wear in the regular world. They also bought trousers, pea coats, and soft flannel shirts. Carter bought a black bomber jacket, while Harry picked a dark green military jacket. 

They also went to the nearest Tesco and bought nonperishable food and bottles of water to store in their trunks. 

Then, before calling the Knight bus they stuffed all of their purchases in their trunks and shrunk them down to the size of a matchbox with their wands. 

Once everything was hidden away, they called the Knightbus and returned to the Dursleys. After changing back into their oversized clothes, they hid their trunks underneath the floorboard and set to finishing their chores as quickly as possible.   
  



	6. Fish and Chips

Harry read. 

And read.

And read. 

He read through the nights, barely sleeping over the two weeks. There was just so much to learn. He read about Hogwarts houses, and wizarding forms of communication and transportation. He read about wards, ancient runes, goblins, potions, charms, and transfiguration. 

But most of his time was spent reading about magical classifications, emblems, and the crimson war. 

His books confirmed everything Neville had said in Diagon Alley about classifications. Harry memorized the different eye colors and the average age a witch or wizard ‘elevated’. He learned that ‘elevating’ was the term used for when a witch or wizard’s eye color changed, and their power level increased. He also learned that his illness several months prior was simply his magical core expanding. He found witches and wizards are usually sick for several days during the expansion process. 

Harry also learned about emblems. Magical tattoos that appear on witches and wizard’s forearms once they turn 12 years old. The magical tattoos indicated which forms of magic were most compatible with a witch or wizard. 

There were emblems for ancient runes, charms, transfiguration, wards, dueling, potions, astronomy, herbology, magical creatures, arithmancy, divination, languages, flying, and healing. 

There were also rare emblems, like spell crafting, ritual magic, strategy, necromancy, elemental magic, alchemy, and wandless magic.

Harry read that most witches and wizards usually only have one or two emblems, but that upper power levels usually had more. 

He found out that Dumbledore had alchemy, transfiguration, charms, wandless magic, arithmancy, strategy, dueling, and healing emblems. 

Harry also read that Voldemort was well known for his large number of rare emblems. He was known to have spell crafting, wandless magic, necromancy, ritual magic, dueling, parseltongue, ancient runes, and strategy emblems. 

Harry poured over pictures of the different emblems, wondering which ones he would get when he turned 12. He spent the next hour memorizing the emblems so that he would be able to recognize them on sight. 

After a while, Harry put down his book and rubbed his eyes. It was late. 

He put his book inside of the library compartment of his trunk and shrunk it down. He had activated all of the passwords and security features the night they returned from Diagon using Lola's written instructions. He slept soundly at night knowing his belongings were completely safe. 

He flopped down on his bed and pulled his thin blanket over him. That was another thing he needed to buy soon. He hated the cold. 

Carter leaned over his top bunk and looked down at Harry. "Hey," he said. 

"Hey," Harry repeated. 

"Which house do you think you will be sorted into?" he asked. 

"Slytherin," Harry said without hesitating. He knew it was where he belonged. Cunning, ambition, leadership, resourcefulness… It all fit. 

Carter nodded as if he had already guessed this. Harry tipped his head, "Where do you think you will go?" 

"I think I could end up in Slytherin too," Carter said. "But…" 

"But you think you could also end up in Gryffindor," Harry finished for him. He knew his cousin. Carter was brave and chivalrous to his core. Harry knew Carter was a boy with the brain of a Slytherin and a heart of a Gryffindor. A dangerous combination if you asked him. 

Carter nodded, "I don't want to be in separate houses. Also, Gryffindor is mostly made of light witches and wizards. I don't know if I would fit."

"You should go wherever you think is the best option for you," Harry told him. "I promise you and I will always be brothers, no matter which house you decide to join. And don't worry about the light witches and wizards. They won't stand a chance against you."

"Promise?" 

"Of course," Harry assured him. "We will see eachother everyday."

"What about the Gryffindor and Slytherin rivalry?" 

Harry shrugged, "I don't care about a stupid rivalry. Do you?" 

Carter grinned, "Absolutely not."

"Good." 

* * *

A few days later, Carter and Harry were locked inside of their bedroom after finishing their chores. Harry removed his trunk from under the floorboard, and pointed his wand towards the lock. "Elevating," he whispered the password for the basic storage compartment. The trunk clicked, and he lifted the lid to find a compartment full of fruits, bottles of water, granola bars, and canned soups. 

To be honest, Harry hated most of it, but he had learned not to be picky over the years. He knew they could only buy food that wouldn't go bad in their trunks. 

He picked an apple and a granola bar, and Carter grabbed a few different pieces of fruit. 

They dug into their dinner, but after a while Carter threw his fruit down. 

"I'm sick of this," he said looking at the apple in disgust, "I want to kill them."

Harry didn't look up from his book, "I don't feel like being sent to another prison just to escape this one."

"Well then we don't have to kill them, but we have to get out of here. We're not meant to be their slaves Harry."

Harry put down his book, sensing Carter was being serious. He looked up to see his cousin looking at him with a furious expression on his face. 

Harry nodded. He took out his wand and cast a silencing spell on their room. It was one of the very first spells he learned with his wand. 

"Honestly I have been thinking the same thing. I have been trying to come up with a plan," Harry admitted. 

"Let's just pay them," Carter said. "We could threaten them, but that would only work temporarily. But we both know Vernon and Petunia are greedy. Let's just pay them to leave us alone."

"If the Ministry finds out we don't have guardians they will send us back here," Harry pointed out.

"Then we will have to make sure they don't find out. Let's pay the Dursleys enough money to keep them quiet. They won't say no to money. I know my parents."

Harry sometimes forgot that Vernon and Petunia were Carter's mother and father. He looked nothing like either of them, and he was the complete opposite of Dudley. Carter was thin and tall, with blond hair, while Dudley looked like a baby whale at times. He was smarter than Dudley, and better than Dudley in almost every way possible. Carter cared for people. He wasn't a bully, he was quiet and kind, but when Carter or his friends were threatened, he had a vicious streak a mile long. 

Harry definitely wouldn't want to be Carter's enemy. He was both cunning and brave. Idiots like the Dursleys didn't stand a chance against him. 

"You really want them to get away with our money?" Harry asked. 

"Unless you can think of another option," Carter shrugged. 

_We could actually kill them and make it look like an accident,_ Harry thought to himself, but he knew deep down Carter still cared for them at least a little. Killing them wasn't an option. 

"I think paying them is the best option," Harry agreed. 

"Okay," Carter nodded. "When and how will we do it?" 

* * *

"Boys! Get out here and make breakfast!" Petunia yelled into their room a few days later after unlocking the door.

"Yes Petunia," Harry said dutifully. 

She nodded and left to go downstairs. 

Carter and Harry climbed out of bed and pulled out their trunks. Harry changed into a pair of black trousers, a white dress shirt, and a black pea coat. Carter pulled on blue jeans with a purple jumper and a black scarf. 

They shrunk down their trunks and put them in their pockets, all their belongings hidden were safely inside. They strapped their wand holsters to their forearms and slipped their wands inside. They were leaving. 

They gave each other serious looks before nodding. Harry took a deep breath. They were doing this. 

They went downstairs and walked into the kitchen. Petunia was already there making tea for herself. She nearly dropped the kettle when she saw them. 

"What, what do you think you are doing? Vernon!" She screeched. 

Vernon stomped into the room, "Yes dea…" he stopped when he saw them. 

His face turned an ugly shade of purple, but before he could get a word out, Harry spoke. 

"We are leaving. We know we are wizards, and we refuse to be your servants any longer. If you agree to leave us alone, we will pay you."

"Who the hell do you think you are!!" Vernon shouted. "You're not wizards, and you sure as hell don't have any money!" 

Harry narrowed his eyes, "Yes we are, and actually I have quite a lot of money. Didn't Petunia tell you? My parents were extremely wealthy."

Vernon glanced at Petunia, and Harry laughed, "Oh so she didn't tell you. My parents were very influential. They had a lot of friends, so I wouldn't try anything with us." 

"They left you with us because you were dark," Petunia spoke quietly. "You won't stand a chance out there."

"We would rather take our chances out there then spend another minute here!" Carter shouted. "We know what we are. Take the money and leave us alone, otherwise we will make your life hell."

Petunia seemed shocked by this outburst, as if she expected Carter to show her one ounce of loyalty. 

Vernon spoke then, "How… how much money?" 

"5,000 pounds per year," Harry replied, and Vernon's jaw dropped. "But that's only if you leave us alone and tell people we live with you if they ask. If you try anything, if you tell the government we aren't staying with you, the deal is off and we ruin your lives."

"Deal," Vernon said quickly. Petunia glanced between them all, as if she couldn't decide if all this was a dream. 

Carter pulled 5,000 pounds out of his pocket and threw it on the floor. "Goodbye. I hope you all live shitty lives." 

He stepped on the money as he made his way to the door. Harry followed closely behind him. 

Carter called for the Knight bus, still looking furious. Harry knew his cousin had hoped for some sort of emotion from his parents besides hate. 

Harry put a hand on Carter's shoulder, "Hey, we will be okay, I promise."

Carter nodded sadly. "Yeah I know we will be."

"Why don't we go and get some food. Fish and chips maybe?" 

The Knight bus appeared out of thin air like last time. Carter gave a small smile, "Yeah that sounds good."

They paid Stan and asked him to take them to Central London.

It didn't take them long to get there, and soon they were walking into a fish and chips shop. 

The both ordered their food along with two cokes. They rarely ever drank anything besides water, and they wanted to have something different. 

After a few bites of fish, Carter was in a much better mood. 

By the end of the meal they were both grinning and laughing. "That was so good," Carter smiled as he finished his last bite. "I don't think I have ever had food this good."

"Me either," Harry laughed. He decided fish and chips was his favorite meal. 

They finished their cokes and Harry dragged Carter to the door. "I have a surprise for you," he said. 

"What is it?" 

"If I tell you it's not a surprise."

They once again called the Knight bus and told Stan they wanted to go to Diagon. Harry and Carter quickly made their way through the Leaky Cauldron. Harry tapped the bricks with his wand, revealing a busy Diagon Alley. 

Harry walked quickly through the streets until they reached Knockturn Alley. After their first visit to Knockturn, Harry decided he would try to do most of his shopping there. He felt more comfortable breathing in the dark rebellious atmosphere. 

A frustrated Carter had to jog in order to keep up with him. 

"Harry where are we going?" 

"Right here," Harry stopped outside of Knockturn Alley’s quidditch supply store. 

Carter looked at the store in awe, "Wow. " 

"I'm going to buy you a broom as a late birthday present, since I didn't have time to get you anything last time we were here."

"Harry, you transferred me 40,000 galleons. I think that's enough," Carter grinned. 

"Nope, let's go. If it bothers you so much, consider it a 'thank you' gift for always putting up with me." Carter laughed and Harry pushed him into the store.

The store was very busy, there were kids everywhere pointing various items out to their parents. Carter was immediately drawn to the broom in the window. Harry read the handle, “The Nimbus 2000.” 

Carter stared at it with wide eyes, “This is the coolest moment of my life.” 

“I’m buying it for you,” Harry promised, and he went to find one of the store attendants. He found a bored looking man who looked to be in his early 20’s. 

“My cousin and I would like to buy two Numbus 2000s,” he told him. 

The young man’s carnelian eyes widened. “You sure? They are 1,250 galleons a piece, kid.” 

“I’m sure,” Harry nodded. 

“Do you want your names engraved in the handles?” 

“Yeah, would you please engrave H. Potter on one, and C. Potter on the other?” 

“Alright then,” the man stood up straight. “It’s going to take me a bit. Do you want to look around for a while while I get the brooms ready?” 

Harry nodded and went to find Carter again. Carter was looking at a black and red jersey hanging next to the broom. There was a large bat situated above two crossed brooms with its wings spread wide across the chest of the jersey. “The Ballycastle Bats?” Harry asked. 

“Yeah,” Carter grinned. “I was reading about them in the quidditch book I bought. They are really good.” 

Harry smiled, “Well maybe we should go to a match sometime.” 

“That would be great,” Carter agreed. “I think I’m going to buy this jersey for when we go.” 

Carter and Harry each grabbed jerseys in their sizes. Harry also picked up two broom maintenance kits so they could care for their brooms. Carter grabbed two pairs of dragon hide gloves for them, and a quidditch practice kit so they could play. 

By the time they were done, the store attendant had finished preparing their brooms. 

“Here you go,” he said. He set them on the counter, and Carter’s jaw dropped when he saw his name engraved in the handle. 

“Happy birthday brother,” Harry said quietly. 

Carter grinned widely. The name change was only symbolic, but Harry knew Carter appreciated it. Carter didn’t want to be associated with the Dursleys anymore. 

“Do you want me to wrap them up?” The store attendant asked after they paid for everything. 

Harry shook his head, “We have our trunks.” 

Carter and Harry both took out their trunks and carefully put their brooms in their quidditch compartments, along with their new jerseys, cleaning kits, practice kits, and gloves. Harry was excited. They would finally be able to play the game that Carter had been talking about nonstop for weeks. 

After leaving the quidditch supply store they returned to Diagon Alley. Harry pulled out the parchment given to him by the goblins, which explained how to access his parents flat. 

“It says we are supposed to find ‘The Daily Grind Cafe’,” Harry told Carter. “The flat is on the second floor.” 

They didn’t have to search long for the cafe, it was just across from the entrance to Knockturn Alley. “Well that was easy,” Carter said. 

Harry nodded, “Do you think it’s that side door?” He pointed to the door that was to the left of the cafe entrance. 

“We can try it,” Carter shrugged. 

They walked up to the door. Harry pointed his wand at the door handle and whispered, “I am Harry Potter, son of Lily and James potter.” The door handle clicked open. According to the parchment, the wards on the apartment would only open for someone who was a direct descendent of the Potters. Harry then pointed his wand at Carter, “I, Harry James Potter hereby give Carter Aslan Dursley permission to access 113 Diagon Alley, London.” 

Carter grinned, and the two of them opened the door. They climbed the wooden stairs and found themselves in a spacious flat, decorated in reds and golds. The floors were hard wood, and most of the furniture was dark mahogany. There was an open concept kitchen and living room with large windows overlooking Diagon. Carter immediately flopped down on the sofa and groaned, “This thing is literally softer than a cloud.” 

After exploring a little they found three bedrooms, each with a queen size four poster bed. Carter and Harry picked the two smaller bedrooms that were right across from each other. Harry’s was slightly bigger, and had a view of Diagon. His main reason for choosing it though was the fireplace. He hated being cold. Carter’s bedroom was almost identical to Harrys’ except Harry’s was painted charcoal grey, and Carter’s was a dark maroon. 

“Harry this place is ours!” Carter laughed. 

“I know,” Harry smiled. It didn’t feel real. They were free of the Dursleys, and they would never have to see them again if Harry had his way. They could study magic freely and learn new spells, they could practice dueling, and eat whatever they wanted. The Potter flat felt like paradise. 

Harry was just unpacking a couple of the books from his trunk when a small, strange looking creature with big ears appeared suddenly beside him. Harry swore and fell back. He pointed his wand at the creature, “Carter!”

Carter ran into the room, “What is it?” He stopped and took out his own wand when he saw the creature. 

The creature practically jumped up and down with excitement. “Hello good Master. It is so good to see a Master again.” 

Carter frowned, “Wait a second.” Carter left Harry’s bedroom and ran back to his own room. 

“Where are you going?” Harry yelled. “Don’t leave me alone with it!” 

“Just wait!”

Harry sat there with his wand pointed at the creature, waiting for Carter to come back. It was unnerving. The creature was staring at him as if it… loved him? He wasn’t sure what that meant. 

“I got it,” Carter ran back into the room holding a book. “It’s a house elf. A lot of the ancient families have house elves. I guess they are like servants, they cook and clean for you. This elf must be bonded to the Potter family, so you are its master.” 

Harry blinked slowly. “What is your name?” 

“I is Poppy Master sir,” the elf nodded vigorously. 

“So you work for me?” 

Poppy stepped closer, “Yes Master. I is your house elf."

"What do you do around here?" he asked. 

"I cleans the flat, I cooks for Master, I do anything Master asks."

Harry tipped his head to the side. "Would you make us dinner?"

"Yes Master," Poppy nodded happily, as if she couldn't think of anything better in the world to do. "Right away master!" 

She popped out of existence, and Harry looked to Carter. "Now that was weird."

"At least we don't have to cook or clean?" Carter shrugged. 


	7. Dueling Birthdays

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for reading! I'm sorry it has been awhile!

“Ready?” 

“Ready.” 

Harry cast a strong blasting curse at Carter’s shield spell. The wall of crystal shattered the second Harry’s spell struck it. 

Carter hung his head, looking defeated. “I don’t get it. It's like my magic just isn’t cooperating.” 

They had been practicing new dark spells for the past few hours, and Carter was having a hard time holding an earth elemental shield spell. 

“I think it's your wand,” Harry reassured him. “Rowan did say it would take a while for your wand to bond to you. You just need to keep practicing.” 

“I didn’t have trouble with the other spells,” Carter shrugged. 

“Yeah, but this one is a lot more difficult than those spells. Those were beginner spells, this is advanced. It is going to take more time. You will get it, don’t worry. Try again.” 

Carter narrowed his eyes and nodded. He shifted his feet into a dueling stance and pointed his wand, “ _Speculum murum.”_

A translucent wall of crystal formed in front of him, and Harry could immediately tell this shield was stronger than the last one. Harry also shifted into a dueling stance, “ _Reducto!”_

This time the crystal wall cracked, but it didn’t shatter like the last time. Harry grinned, “See?” 

“Okay maybe you’re right,” Carter smiled and released the shield. 

Poppy had converted the flat’s empty master bedroom into a dueling chamber for them to practice. The newly expanded room was complete with padded walls, a dueling platform, and wards to prevent wayward spells from destroying the flat. They had to bring in an expert to expand the room and add wards, but it was well worth it in Harry’s mind. They needed to practice. Hogwarts was only two months away, and they didn’t have time to spare. 

“Hey Harry I was wondering,” Carter began. “Maybe we should write Neville and ask him to come and practice with us.”

“We don’t have owls yet.” 

“Well we are going to need owls at Hogwarts, so maybe we should adopt some?” 

Harry shrugged, “Yeah that’s probably a good idea. We can go after we are done practicing.” 

“Don’t you ever get tired?” Carter laughed, “Well, probably not I guess. I’m just a Tiger Eye. You're an Amber, so you are six times more powerful than me.” 

“Not forever,” Harry smirked. “The books say we have to practice a lot to help our magical cores expand. Soon enough you will be an Amber too.” 

“We will see,” Carter shook his head with a smile on his face. _“Flipendo!”_

Harry narrowly avoided the jinx. He stared at Carter with wide eyes, “Did you just try to jinx me?” 

Carter shrugged, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

“I am deeply offended,” Harry clutched his chest dramatically. He spun and cast, _“Petrificus Totalus.”_

Carter cast the crystal shield spell and grinned. “It’s on.” 

* * *

"Here you go, " Harry whispered gently as he held out a treat. His newly adopted black Great Horned Owl, Amon, named after the Egyptian God, reached out carefully and snapped up the treat. 

Amon was suspicious of Harry. He watched Harry's every move, and never let him get too close. "I'm not your enemy," Harry promised him. "Soon enough you will trust me."

Amon tipped his head to the side, as if saying 'we will see'. Harry laughed and tossed him another treat. 

Carter's owl, a brown speckled Eagle-Owl was much friendlier than Amon. Her name was Lenna, and she enjoyed spending most of her time on Carter's shoulder. 

Carter pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill. They had been practicing how to write with quills recently to avoid having bad handwriting when they started studying at Hogwarts. 

"Practicing, or writing to Neville?" Harry asked.

"Writing to Neville. I'm going to invite him to practice with us."

Harry nodded, "Okay. It will be nice to have another person to duel."

Poppy appeared beside him, "Masters Carter and Harry sirs, dinner is ready sirs."

"Thank you Poppy," Harry and Carter chimed together. They knew better than to refuse her. One time she burst into tears, and another time she simply grabbed them by the ears and pulled them over to the table. Apparently they were far too skinny. 

Carter sealed the letter and passed it to Lenna. "Here girl, take this to Neville Longbottom please."

Lenna nipped affectionately at his finger before taking the letter in her talons and flying out the open window.

Harry looked to Amon, who seemed to be glaring at him. "Next time it will be your turn, I promise."

* * *

"Wow, you guys live here by yourselves?" Neville looked around their flat wide eyed. 

Carter grinned, "Well, not entirely. Poppy looks after us."

"Poppy?" 

"Our house elf."

Neville nodded in understanding. "You guys are lucky. My grandmother never leaves me alone, and she always criticizes everything I do."

"Well she's not here now," Harry smirked. "Have you had a chance to try out your wand Neville?" 

Neville smiled shyly. "I've tried a few spells. Mostly first year spells though."

"That's great Neville," Carter grinned. "We were wondering if you wanted to start practicing with us? We don't have much time before Hogwarts, and we want to get ahead."

"I would like that," Neville nodded. "I don't want to look like a fool…"

"You won't Neville, we will make sure of it."

With that they guided Neville into the dueling room. 

"Wow," Neville exclaimed. "This is cool."

Harry pointed his wand at one of the black dueling dummies and said _"Vitam Faciunt Laminis."_ Obsidian knives left his wand at a high velocity and struck the dummy directly in the center of its chest. 

"Bloody hell Harry. Can you teach me that?" Neville looked both terrified and hopeful. 

"Absolutely, come over here, you have to study the theory first."

They spent the next half an hour studying the theory together. Neville spent another 10 minutes practicing the wand movements while Harry and Carter practiced other spells. 

"I think I'm ready," Neville said nervously as he put down the book. 

"You've got this Neville, don't worry," Harry reassured him. They stepped aside to give him space.

Neville moved to stand in front of the dummy and lifted his wand. He practiced the wand movements a few more times before casting the spell, " _Vitam Faciunt Laminis."_

Several odd shaped black stones left Neville's wand and made it halfway to the dummy. Harry clapped him on the shoulder, "Excellent first try Neville."

"Really?" He asked with wide eyes. 

"Of course," Carter laughed. "You will have it mastered in no time."

Neville grinned and spent the next few hours practicing the spell. By the time Poppy called all of them for lunch Neville was much more confident. He was able to execute the spell almost perfectly. 

"That was brilliant," Neville smiled as he dug into his meal. "I can't believe I did that. Are you guys going to continue practicing the rest of the summer?" 

Carter nodded, "Yeah. You can come over whenever you want to join us."

"I will come whenever my gran allows it."

"Perfect," Harry said. "Are you still open to hanging out on our birthday?" 

"Yeah of course," Neville nodded. "What do you want to do?" 

"Well, we've never been to a quidditch match before. Do you like quidditch?" 

"I love quidditch," he grinned. "I'm terrible at it, but I love to watch. You know, come to think of it I think there is a match between the Falmouth Falcons and the Ballycastle Bat's on that day. The Falcons are my favorite team."

Carter perked up, “We have to go Harry.” 

Harry nodded, “Okay, how do we get there?” 

“We can use the flo network,” Neville explained. “There is a flo in the leaky cauldron. We can meet there before the match.” 

* * *

The morning of Harry’s birthday he was woken up by Carter pouncing onto his bed. 

“Bloody hell get off,” he groaned as he pulled the covers over his head. 

“Come on Harry get up. We got our letters!”

Harry flung back the covers, “Our Hogwarts letters?” 

Carter shoved a letter into Harry’s hand, “Here!” 

Harry sat up quickly and tore open the red Hogwarts seal. 

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL** **_OF_ ** **WITCHCRAFT** **_AND_ ** **WIZARDRY**

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Supreme Mugwump,

International Confed. of Wizards)

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

_Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl no later than 15 August._

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL** **_OF_ ** **WITCHCRAFT** **_AND_ ** **WIZARDRY**

UNIFORM

First year students will require:

  1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
  2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
  3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
  4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)



Please note that all pupil’s clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

_The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_

by Miranda Goshawk

_A History of Magic_

by Bathilda Bagshot

_Magical Theory_

by Adalbert Waffling

_A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration_

by Emeric Switch

_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_

by Phyllida Spore 

_Magical Drafts and Potions_

by Arsenius Jigger

_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_

by Newt Scamander

_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_

by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 Wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad. 

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS 

ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus_

_Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions_

“Aww, no brooms,” Carter sighed. “I was really looking forward to trying out my Nimbus 2000. Do you think they will search our trunks?” 

“Probably not,” Harry replied as he looked over the book list. “But who knows what spells and wards they have for detecting things like that. We should probably leave them here.” 

Carter let out a loud, dramatic sigh, "Fine then."

Harry smirked and reread his letter. "We should probably pick up our books as soon as possible. That way we can start studying immediately."

Carter agreed, and soon enough they dressed for the day and left their Diagon Alley flat. 

They spent the morning buying their school supplies in Knockturn Alley before settling down at the 'Carnelian Corner Café' next to Knockturn's quidditch shop. 

Harry pulled out his new Defense Against the Dark Arts book and began to read it with a frown. "Defense Against the Dark Arts. Really? When almost half the school is made up of dark witches and wizards? What about Defence Against the Light Arts?" 

Carter huffed. "Yeah good luck with that. Neville said they hate us. Why would they teach us to defeat them? We are the enemy."

"Still, the blatant discrimination is medieval."

"Do you think the professors are going to discriminate against us in class?" 

Harry shrugged, "Maybe. Probably."

Carter clenched a fist on the table. "I'm not going to be bullied again. We experienced enough of that with the Dursleys."

Harry glared at him and cast a privacy spell, "Don't get caught doing something stupid. We can't become powerful wizards if they expel us."

"I know," Carter ruffled his messy blond hair. "But they don't even teach the Dark Arts, so how are we going to learn? We can't learn everything from books."

Harry looked out the window of the café at the surrounding Knockturn Alley. "If dark witches and wizards managed to keep this place protected from light witches and wizards, I'm sure they have a way of passing down their knowledge. We just have to figure out how."

"Why do they even let us attend Hogwarts if they want to suppress us?" Carter sighed. 

Harry closed the book. "Well that's rather obvious isn't it? They want to keep an eye on us. I also read that dark witches and wizards hold quite a bit of the wizarding world’s wealth. If Dumbledore kicked us all out of Hogwarts, we would find other ways to educate ourselves. My guess is the Ministry wants that money to stay in the UK. If we all went to school elsewhere, they would lose a significant amount of wealth."

"Why not just take that money elsewhere anyways and cripple the economy?" Carter asked. "Then we could demand equality and they wouldn't be able to refuse."

"Dumbledore is the reason why," Harry explained casually. "He's too physically powerful. If the dark puts up too much of a fight, he might simply start threatening to kill family members of wealthy individuals. Who would stop him? He's a Moonstone. The only person who could take him on is in prison." 

"Do you think Voldemort will ever escape?" Carter asked in a whisper. 

"Who knows," Harry shrugged.

Later that evening they met Neville at the Leaky Cauldron. 

“Happy birthday Harry!” He exclaimed when he saw them. 

They replied, “Happy birthday to you too Neville!” 

“Are you guys ready?” Neville looked at them both with a nervous grin. 

“Absolutely,” Carter grinned back. 

They were both wearing their red and black Ballycastle Bats jerseys, while Neville was wearing a grey and black Falcons jersey. 

“Do you know how to use the flo?” 

They both nodded. Harry and Carter had purchased a book on flo travel earlier that summer. Thankfully, the book had moving picture diagrams. 

Neville reached into the jar on the mantle above the fireplace and grabbed a pinch of green flo powder. He threw it in the fireplace and said loudly, “Ballycastle Stadium!” He stepped inside the green flames and disappeared. 

Carter went next, looking excited. He stepped into the green flames without hesitation. 

Harry took a deep breath and grabbed a pinch of the green powder. He tossed it into the orange flames and watched them flare green. “Ballycastle Stadium!” He stepped inside the flames and gasped as his body spun and compressed. He fell hard to his knees when he finally stopped spinning. 

Carter and Neville were both there to pull him to his feet. “Are you okay?” Neville asked. 

Harry rubbed his knees briefly, “Yeah I’m okay.” 

“Okay, my grandmother is here already. She didn’t want us to be here alone.” Neville shrugged. “She will be with her friends though so don’t worry about her.” 

“That’s fine Neville,” Carter said. “So where do we go now?” They looked to be in a long, curved corridor filled with people. 

Neville waved with a smile, “Follow me!” 

They followed him forward, walking quickly across the black and red stone floor. Harry noticed many witches and wizards wearing Balleycastle and Falcon scarves and jerseys along with their usual unusual clothing. Many of them were buying food from the various food stalls, and Neville stopped at one to buy them all butterbeers. 

Carter and Harry thanked him and sipped from their drinks before they continued to follow him. They reached a roped off staircase guarded by a stern looking man in black robes. He raised his eyebrows at them, “Tickets?” 

They each pulled out their tickets and handed them to the man. He looked at them critically before handing them back and letting them through. 

“My grandmother bought us all tickets to the top box as a surprise for our birthdays” Neville explained. “We are going to have the best view of the match!” 

“Cool,” Carter and Harry grinned. They climbed the stairs and emerged in a curved, red carpeted room. The room was full of rows of cushioned seats, about half of which were full. 

Neville looked at his ticket and guided them to the front row. 

As they were walking past the various rows, Harry noticed a group of men and women, all who looked to be in their thirties. They were all staring at the three boys with contempt in their glittering amethyst eyes. Harry narrowed his own amber eyes and glared back. He wasn’t about to be intimidated by light magic users. 

Neville sat in the front row, and Carter and Harry sat beside him, both of them wide eyed and excited. In front of them was a glass window overlooking a massive quidditch pitch like the ones they had seen photos of in their books. They were located high up in the middle of the pitch, and to either side of them Harry saw three rings on tall posts. He knew the rings were used by the chasers to score points. 

The stadium seats slowly filled with people as the boys drank their butter beer and talked excitedly. 

The crowd roared to life suddenly as the Balleycastle Bats team flew onto the pitch side by side. Bright red fireworks exploded in the sky above them, the sparks taking the shape of a bat. 

“Woah,” Carter grinned. “That’s awesome.” 

The falcons appeared next, followed by white fireworks taking the shape of a grand falcon. Neville cheered and clapped. 

Before Harry even knew what was happening, the snitch was released and the match began. The players flew so fast that Harry could barely keep track of it all. 

The seekers hovered above the pitch, watching for the tiny golden snitch which had disappeared right at the start of the match. The chasers were flying quickly across the pitch, scoring points for both teams while the beaters and keepers did their best to prevent them from doing so. 

They were on the edge of their seats the entire time, watching as both teams scored over and over. It was a very close match, with the falcons only a few points ahead of the bats. 

Carter looked like he was going to explode with excitement, "Look!" he shouted and pointed to the bat's seeker. "He sees the snitch!" 

Sure enough, the bat's seeker was speeding across the pitch towards the falcons goal posts with the falcons seeker hot on his tail. 

The seekers were neck and neck as they dove towards the ground. 

Inches away from the grass the Balleycastle seeker closed his fist around the snitch and pulled up to avoid crashing into the ground. The Falcon's seeker barely managed to avoid crashing as the stadium erupted. 

Red fireworks exploded in the sky as the announcer yelled "Balleycastle wins the match!" 

Harry and Carter cheered happily while Neville grinned, "Maybe next time," he said. 

The crowd began to leave the stadium, so the three of them stood to follow the others. 

Harry noticed an elderly woman approaching them from their left. She was wearing an absurdly large feathered hat and purple robes. 

Neville noticed her too, and grabbed Harry and Carter's hands before pulling them away from her and out the door. 

They walked quickly back to the flo room. When they finally stopped Carter asked, "Was that your grandmother? Why did you run?" 

Neville rubbed the back of his neck, "She's very… intense. She would have questioned both of you for hours and I didn't want you to have to go through that."

"Thanks Neville," Harry laughed. 

"So I'll see you guys later?" he asked. 

"Yeah you can come over and practice with us again," Carter nodded. 

Neville waved goodbye and left to find his grandmother while they each took a pinch of flo powder.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any feedback is appreciated!


	8. Better Be SLYTHERIN

“Where is the platform?” Carter looked around the station. “There is no such thing as a platform 9 ¾.” 

Harry sighed, “Didn’t you read the book on Hogwarts I gave you?” 

“Um, no,” Carter admitted sheepishly. “I was reading the book on the mermish language you gave me.” 

Harry just smiled and shook his head. He approached the brick wall located between platforms nine and ten and reached out to touch it. His hand went through without any resistance. He raised an eyebrow and smirked at Carter before stepping through the barrier. 

“Okay, okay, I will read the damn book,” Carter laughed as he joined Harry on the other side. 

Harry took in the sight of the Hogwarts express and the hundreds of students loading their luggage onto the train with their parents. 

He was really about to go to Hogwarts, he realized. He was leaving behind the muggle world for good, and that thought filled him with joy. 

Harry patted his pocket to make sure his trunk was still there. He had checked almost a hundred times that morning, not wanting to forget it. They carefully carried their owl cages through the crowds. Amon brooded silently in his cage, and Harry could tell he wasn’t happy. Harry felt guilty about his treatment, but promised him he would let him out as soon as they reached Hogwarts. 

They wandered through the train looking for an empty compartment. After checking a dozen or so compartments, Harry realized most of them were already full. Sighing, he resigned himself to the fact that they would have to share with people they didn’t know. 

He stopped and knocked on the door of a mostly empty compartment. A dark skinned boy in fine purple robes opened the door. He raised an eyebrow, “Yes?” 

“Would you mind if my cousin and I joined you?” Harry asked politely. “The other compartments are full.” 

The boy stared at him curiously for a moment before nodding and stepping back. “Of course, come in please.” 

Harry set Amon’s cage gently on one of the luggage racks. Carter did the same, and they both sat down. Harry sat next to the compartment’s other inhabitant, a girl with black hair and pale skin, while Carter sat next to the boy. They were both dark, he realized. Tiger Eyes. 

“I am Blaise Zabini,” the boy introduced himself. He gestured to the girl across from him, “And this is Pansy Parkinson.” 

“It’s a pleasure,” Harry nodded. “My name is Harry Potter and this is my cousin Carter Dursley.” 

Blaise’s eyebrows rose. “A dark Potter huh? Interesting.” 

Harry nodded, but didn’t respond. Blaise turned to Carter, “Are you a muggleborn?” 

“Yes,” Carter responded lightly. 

Now Blaise was staring at them as if they were puzzles he needed to solve. “A dark Potter who has already elevated to Amber, and a dark muggleborn. Very interesting,” he mumbled to himself as if they weren’t even there. 

Pansy rolled her eyes, “I apologize for my friend. He’s odd sometimes.” 

“It’s fine,” Harry waved her off. He could understand why Blaise was interested. It was rare for dark witches and wizards to be born into light families. Dark muggleborns were even more rare. Researchers had no idea why this was the case, but they admitted that statistics showed children normally followed in their parents footsteps, and muggleborns were almost _always_ light. 

"How did it feel?" Blaise asked. "You know… to elevate?" 

"I was very sick for a few days. It hurt, I had a fever and I was delirious," Harry shrugged. 

Blaise shook his head, "Sounds awful, but it must be nice to be an Amber? Right?" 

Harry nodded, "I definitely noticed a power increase, and it's easier to cast spells, that's for sure."

“So what houses are you hoping to join?” Pansy asked. 

“Slytherin,” Harry smiled. 

She smirked, “Excellent. Slytherin is the best house of course.” 

“I’ll be joining Gryffindor,” Carter grinned and leaned back in his seat. 

“My father would kill me for associating myself with a Gryffindor,” she rolled her eyes playfully. 

“Are you sure you want to end up there?” Blaise asked, looking at Carter. “Gryffindor is full of light witches and wizards. You might find it… difficult there.” 

“I can handle myself,” he said confidently. “I’m not worried.” 

Blaise shrugged and reached into his backpack to grab a book. Harry did the same, pulling out a book on potions. 

Time passed quickly as the four of them read and talked about the upcoming year. Soon enough the sun had set and they were changing into their school robes. 

As they were stepping off the train, Harry briefly wondered where Neville was. He vowed to find him once they made it to the school. 

Harry and Carter followed Pansy and Blaise towards the Black Lake, where a tall bearded man was encouraging them all to sit inside of the many boats lining the shore. 

"Four to a boat!" he shouted so everyone could hear. 

"Well this is rather interesting," Blaise muttered as he sat down. 

"Agreed," Pansy sighed, but Harry could see the excitement on her face. 

When all of the students were seated, the bearded man pointed out into the lake and yelled, "Forward!" 

The boats lurched and began following Hagrid out into the lake. Harry smiled a little and looked down into the black water. He loved magic. 

The boats made their way under a large stone bride, and suddenly Hogwarts was revealed to them. 

"Wow," Carter breathed, and all Harry could do was nod in agreement. The castle, with its tall towers and large windows stood at the edge of the water. 

The castle's lights glittered as they reflected on the lake. It was as if a thousand stars had stationed themselves in the water to guide them to their new home. 

Harry felt a pull in his chest as he took it all in. He knew in that moment it didn't matter how many years he spent attending Hogwarts, he would never get used to its magnificence. 

He closed his eyes as a wave of cool, calming magic washed over him. He felt the castle's welcome in his heart. It became part of him, and he knew it would never leave him no matter where he went. Hogwarts would always be part of his family. 

Their boat gently touched the shore, and their small group followed the rest of the students up the steps towards Hogwarts. 

"Hey guys!" Harry turned to his left to see Neville standing there with a giddy smile on his face. 

"Hey Neville," he replied with an equally giddy smile. 

"Neville Longbottom?" Blaise asked. 

"Yes… " Neville said hesitantly. 

Blaise's eyes flickered between the three of them. "Two dark wizards from traditionally light families, and one dark muggleborn. You guys are quite the strange group, aren't you?" 

Carter threw his arms around both Harry and Neville's shoulders, "We're just the best, what can we say?" 

Blaise cracked a small smile and shook his head as they stepped inside the castle for the very first time. 

A stern woman wearing green robes and a pointed hat met them at the entrance. Her eyes were very light green. She was a Jade, Harry noticed, just like his mother had been. 

"Good evening children, and welcome to Hogwarts. My name is Professor McGonagall. I am the deputy headmistress of Hogwarts, and I will be teaching your transfiguration classes. In a moment the welcoming feast will begin, but before you take a seat you will be sorted into your houses. Your names will be called in alphabetical order."

Whispering broke out, and McGonagall raised her hand to silence them, "The four houses are Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. Each house has its own values and notable history. While you are here, your successes will gain you house points, and any misbehavior will cause you to lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will win the house cup. I hope each and every one of you succeed wherever you are sorted."

"I'm going to be in Slytherin just like the generations of Malfoys before me," a blond boy to Harry's right whispered to another boy with light brown hair. "I'm going to be the best in my year, just like my father."

 _We will see about that,_ Harry thought to himself. He wanted to be the best in his year, and he wasn't about to let anyone get in his way. 

"Look!" a girl shouted. Harry turned and saw a large group of ghosts flying towards them. Other students screamed, but Professor McGonagall shouted for everyone to be quiet and calm. She then explained that the ghosts would not harm them, and that ghosts were in fact common in the magical world. 

"Ahh hello children!" one of the ghosts said as he approached. "Welcome! Welcome!" 

The ghosts then floated through a large set of wooden doors and disappeared from sight. 

"The sorting will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. Wait just a moment," McGonagall followed the ghosts into another room, leaving them alone. 

Harry took a moment to look around at the other children. He quickly noticed that all of the students he saw either had brown eyes with flecks of gold, or bright green eyes. They were all Tiger Eyes and Emeralds. He was the only first year who had elevated to the second power level. 

He didn't know how to feel about that. 

"Do you know how we are sorted?" Carter asked Blaise. 

He shrugged, "My mother told me we sit on a stool in front of the other students and put on an ancient looking hat. The hat then decides which house we belong to."

"Hello Blaise, Pansy, " the blond boy from earlier approached their small group. He looked at Harry, Carter, and Neville in confusion. "Who are you?" 

"I'm Harry Potter," Harry said blandly. "And this is my cousin Carter Dursley and my friend Neville Longbottom."

The boy stared right at Harry, "You're an Amber?" he said in a disbelieving tone. "How exactly did you manage that?" 

Harry didn't like the boy he decided. He was too entitled and arrogant. "By just existing I guess, how am I supposed to know?" 

Blaise interrupted. "Harry, Carter, Neville, this is Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott." He gestured to the brown haired boy beside Draco. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Harry said, not meaning it. 

Draco ignored this and instead asked, "Did your parents mix you guys up with different babies or something? There has never been a dark Potter or Longbottom."

A shorter girl with dark hair approached their group, "Actually my father said there are more dark witches and wizards in our year than light witches and wizards. I'm Daphne Greengrass by the way."

"Really?" Pansy said, looking interested. 

"Yes it's true, it hasn't happened in almost four centuries." Daphne leaned forward and whispered, "I even heard a rumor that there is a dark Weasley in our year."

"I don't believe you," Theo said with a laugh. 

"Who are the Weasleys?" Carter asked Neville quietly. 

"A light family, very loyal to Dumbledore," Neville replied. "They were friends with the Potters and the Longbottoms back in the day if I remember correctly."

"I'll believe it when I see it," Draco sneered. 

McGonagall returned and gestured for them to follow, "This way children, it is time for the sorting ceremony."

They followed McGonagall through the grand wooden doors and into a large dining hall. There were four tables filled with students, each of them wearing four different colors, green, blue, yellow, and red. There was also another table at the front of the hall where the professors sat. However, Harry was most impressed by the ceiling of the hall, which was charmed to mimic the weather outside. He had read about it in _Hogwarts a History,_ but it was more beautiful than he could have imagined. 

The students all turned to look at them, and Harry noticed how segregated between the houses they were. The entire Slytherin table was dark. All of the students were either Tiger Eyes, Amber's, or Carnelians. The Ravenclaw table was largely dark as well, but he did see a couple light witches and wizards mixed in. Hufflepuff and Gryffindor were almost entirely light. All of the students he saw sitting at those tables were either Emeralds, Sapphires, or Amethysts. 

He swallowed thickly and looked to Carter who appeared to have noticed the same thing. "Are you sure about Gryffindor?" he asked. 

"No," Carter whispered. "But I will go wherever the hat wants me to go. I just have a feeling it will be Gryffindor."

Harry nodded and looked towards the hall again. This time he noticed two strangely dressed students. One was an older boy, sitting at the end of the Slytherin table in a high backed chair, furthest away from the professors. He was wearing black robes with golden adornments. He had on a golden pendant of a dragon. Surrounding him were six other students, each of them wearing all black robes and silver dragon pendants. The boy looked bored. 

The other was a dark skinned girl with black, wavy hair. Wearing white robes with royal blue and silver adornments, she was sitting at the end of the Gryffindor table in another high backed chair. While the boy was sitting far away from the professors, she sat at the end of the table closest to them. Harry could see she was wearing a silver pendant as well, but he couldn't tell what was on it. The students around her were wearing plain white robes and had dark blue pendants hanging from their necks. 

"Who are they?" Harry asked his friends. 

They all shrugged and shook their heads. 

"I have no idea," Blaise said. Harry found that odd. He would have to ask more questions later. 

He couldn't see most of the professor's eyes to tell if they were light or dark, but he spotted Dumbledore immediately. 

Dumbledore sat in a high backed chair in the middle of the professors table. His eyes were completely white, and they were so bright that Harry could see them clearly from across the room. He was the only known Moonstone in the world. 

Dumbledore's eyes were unnerving, he decided, it wasn't normal. There was no distinction between his iris and the rest of his eye. All of it was white. 

"Creepy," Blaise whispered, and Harry nodded in agreement. 

"Now wait here until your name is called," McGonagall said loudy for all of them to hear. "Once your name is called you will take a seat on that stool in front of the professor's table. The sorting hat will then decide which house you belong to."

She unrolled a large piece of parchment, "Abbot, Hannah!" 

A nervous looking girl walked quickly forward to take a seat. McGonagall placed a ragged looking brown pointed hat on her head. The hat was silent for only a moment before it shouted, "Hufflepuff!" 

A few other students were sorted before Carter's name was called. Harry looked to his cousin and watched his face pale. Carter stood tall and walked to the front. McGonagall placed the hat on his head and it barely touched his head before deciding. 

"Gryffindor!" 

Carter's robes turned from white and black to red and black. He smiled as some students from the Gryffindor table clapped. Most however, just pointed and whispered. 

Harry was nervous for his cousin. He was the only dark wizard in a house full of light witches and wizards. What if they hurt him? 

Daphne Greengrass was the next witch he knew to be sorted, she ended up in Slytherin. Her greeting was much warmer than Carter's. 

Neville's expression was determined when it was his turn to sit on the stool. The hat was silent for a long while, much longer than any of the other students. 

Eventually it announced, "Gryffindor!" Harry gave a sign of relief. At least Carter would have a friend in Gryffindor. 

Carter clapped loudly and gave Neville a high five as he joined him at the Gryffindor table. 

Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott, and Pansy Parkinson were all sorted into Slytherin. 

"Potter, Harry!" 

Harry felt extremely nervous as he walked to the front. He looked up as he approached the stool and found Dumbledore staring at him. Due to his strange eyes, it was hard to tell where the man was looking, but Harry just _knew_ he was looking at him. He flinched slightly, but Dumbledore didn't look away. The man was _terrifying._

Harry turned sat on the stool with his back to Dumbledore. McGonagall placed the hat gently on his head, and he was startled when he heard it's voice in his mind. 

_"Hmmm another Potter eh? Let's see, where to put you, where to put you. You would be an excellent Ravenclaw, yes that much is certain. There is a strong mind yes, but also ambition and cunning, yes. Better be_ SLYTHERIN!" 

The last part was said out loud, and Harry looked down as his robes turned green. Cheers broke out from the Slytherin table, and Harry moved quickly to sit next to Pansy. Dumbledore's stare followed him to the Slytherin table. Harry just hoped it wouldn't follow him for his entire Hogwarts career. 

Several other students were sorted before McGonagall called out, "Weasley, Ronald!" 

"That's who I was talking about," said Daphne. "See? He's dark."

And she was right. Ronald Weasley was a Tiger Eye. 

The red haired boy looked extremely nervous as the hat was placed on his head. It wasted no time in calling out, "Gryffindor!" 

"Good, at least Carter and Neville will have another dark wizard in Gryffindor," Harry said as he clapped. 

Neville and Carter both appeared happy about this as well, because they both cheered louder than everyone else around them. Seeing this, Ronald Weasley looked less nervous. 

The last person to be sorted was Blaise. It was no surprise when Blaise's robes turned green and he joined them at the Slytherin table. 

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!!!

**Author's Note:**

> As always, feedback is appreciated!! Please leave kudos and a comment below!  
> 


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